Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 212, 7 September 1877, Page 4

Mr Fox (aays the Post) appears c to see that the Local Option Bill, as at present printed, would be unworkable, and he has: given notioe of; several' j amendments which , he will move in I Committee. Clauses 7 and 8 (relating i to the eize of the licensing districts) j are to be expunged. The new clauses which are 1 to take their place are to provide that the sub-districts shall be classified as municipal, suburban, and rural. The sub-districts within] boroughs shall be of the first-named -lass, and shall coutain an area of not j less than 15 acres, being bounded as far is possible by public streets. Every sub-district, the furthest boundary of which ia within five miles of the boundaries of the bor ough, shall be a suburban district, aod is to contain an area of not less than. 25 nor more thsn f i 75* acres. Rural subrdistricts' are | defined as thoße beyond the five-mile (irait, tbe area being not less than 5000 no. more than 20,000 acresy Towns and villages not .being municipal boroughs may be included within the. I limits of any suburban or rural licensing j district. Another alteration proposed | by Mr Fox is an addition to clause 18, enabling the Chairman of the Licensing. Commissioners to employ professional aid to enable him to define sub-districts and otherwise carry out the provisions of the Act. A new clause will also be proposed, providia* that no intoxicating liquors shall be sold in any licensed house in any municipal -borough in j which an election for members of the I House of Representatives, or borough election ia proceeding, until aftor the clobb of the poll. The same* rule is to apply to all elections under the Local Option; Bill, iii any sub-district. The penalty for an infringement of this elauso is fixed at £J.0.;. ii any.. publican offeo-s on two different days his. ieenße shall bcipsofacio foifeited. Evidently Mr Fox has borrowed this latter propose.! clause from American legislation. We do not thiuk he need have encumbered the Bill with this clause at nil. As a gen-ral rule eleotions are'conducted in New Zealand with a very fair amount of regard to order and sobriety, and no special necessity exists for prohibiting the sale of liquor while the polling is going on. The clause referred to is not demauded by public opinion. . . i