PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 176, 27 July 1874, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellingtoh, July 25. After the delivery of the Public Works Statement last night, ; . The Premier moved the second reading of ithe. Licensing Aet, 1873, Amendment Bill, and briefly explained its provisions, one of which was that it should not interfere with Provincial enactments. It provided for allowing more than one bir in a public-liouee ; removes unnecessary restrictions upon publicans applying for the renewal of a license ; and gives increased facility ?or the transferring of licenses. He considered the Act neither too favourable nor too oppressive, and, though perhaps not as perfect a measure as it might be, it would still remedy the defects in the Act of last year. Mr. Fox would not oppose the second reading, but would move a number of amendments in committee. He wished to embody it ia the train principles of last year's bill. and to place the whole control cf the iiquor tralDc ia the hands of the people, and to give proper t .machinery for carrying out the { ermi^ive clause. He would prohibit refreshment-rooms at railway stations, which wai the sole cauße of a great proportion of the accidents, and let all females over 21 years of age vote without being compelled to declare their age ; also prohibit public-houses from having adjuncts to billiard-rooms and skittle- alleys ; an-i would allow no barmaids under 30 years ,of „ f»ge, and prevent thsir being ki>pt up uni'tja- ' sonabiy long hours. Sir Cracroit Wilson thought the other JJUIa had failed because of the difficulty of getting iwo-thirds of the people to try to c.lore a jiublichouse. - • Mr J, B. Brown objected to the Minister of Public Wbrka having the power to grant rairearmants room licenses at railway stations.

The power should be placed in ihe hands of provincial authorities. In Canterbury they had closed the railway refreshment rooms in consfquence of drunkenness amongst the employees. Mr iShephard stud the Bi 1 was gcod in the main* bat he would olject to the bottle licensing clause. Mr Cuthbertson thought the Government had earned the thanks of the country for bringing in 6uch a meisure, bnt he would object to the clause negativing: loral regulations regarding the renewal of liconses in the Bill of last } ear. The Premier definJed the Bill, combating the arguments of the hon. member for Bangitikei, but gaid that the Government were prepared to accept some modifications in Committee. The Bill was read tbe second time and ordmd to be committed next Friday, Ths Municipal Keterves Bill was reported with amendment?.