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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4173, 5 August 1874, Page 2

Even Mr. Fox admits that his Licensing Act of last session is a very incomplete unsatisfactory pieco of legislation, and therefore no one would be surprised at the favor with which the carefully drafted Bill proposed by the Premier has been received. Mr. Fox has, as every one interested in the question knows, given notice of some amendments of a sweeping character, which he intends to propose when the Bill shall be in Committee : and there is no question that these will receive all the consideration their importance warrants, both from the public and the members of the House of Representatives. ' Indeed, so far as the former may be concerned, the probability is that the interest excited will be rather in excess of that which is merited than otherwise. It was generally understood that, last Friday night, Mr. Fox would cause great fun over the barmaid question, and the fairer portion of the theatre - going community went to the House of Representatives to the pecuniary injury of Miss Rosa Towers. And, if he could let it be known when the amendments standing in his name would be moved, we would guarantee he has a full House. The hon. member, on such a subject, is sure to "draw." The misfortune of the affair is, as far as he is concerned, that he cannot look upon his fair audience as allies with him in the good cause. "We can quite understand that if the hon. member had been in America recently, he, with " the wickedest man in all Ohio," would have found himself the "admired of all admirers," in the whisky crusade which has so ingloriously failed : but then ho is in New Zealand, and he should recollect that high authority says "a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country and amongst his own people." Legislation on the subject is most desirable ; but in respect to liquor laws extreme measures should not be adopted anymore than in relation to other matters, unless occasion' be shown. In this instance the association of which Mr. Fox is the organ has completely failed. There is no pretence for arguing that intemperance prevails in the Colony to any unusual extent. And, as a matter of fact, drinking habits in British communities are not nearly so bad as they were fifty yeai-s ago ; but, not in consequence of such legislation as Mr. Fox advocates. This has been a failure in every respect, notwithstanding that it has had advocates, not wanting in ability, with plenty of funds at their command, and with ample organisations at their back. Their position was described by Mr. J. Bright, M.P., with his usual power, at the annual meeting of the Society of Friends in May of this present yeai', as follows : They wcro always crying to Parliament for the euro of this great evil, and tlio present proposition beforo them showed that they adhered to that course. They ask for* things to be done which they know, and all know, at tho present time, with tho present state of public opinion, were impossible to be dono. The asking for thoso things in itself rovealed an amount of simplicity which could not bo understood by him. It was for Parliament to make such changes as, for instance, tho shutting up of public-houses -when decent and well-behaved people would be indoors and a-bed to preserve order in the streets. Thus Parliament woitfd do all that was necessary for the public good, and for tho proper administration of x>olice regulations. If all those things were done, and if tho public-houses were closed on Sundays ; if the hours of salo were shortened; if licenses wore taken from the grocers—the amount of drinking, which was so absolutely appalling, would be but little lessened, ana it would make almost no difference to the great question. Surely, Mr. Fox will admit that the great Tribune of the Peoplo is an authority. But wo are afraid he is unable to discern that in the liquor trade commercial principles apply. The way to stay demand is not to cut off tho supply, but to pursue a reverse policy. Tho Premier proposes to amend the Bill he has introduced, in some important particulars. When it was first submitted to Parliament, we gave a lengthy summary of its most interesting details, and a perusal of this would show that tho 18th was the vital clause of the Bill. This proposed to give to every person who had a license, a fresh one, as a matter of course, unless, after notice of objection boing given, he was shown to have lost his good character. For this, Mr. Vogel intends to substituto one giving the [publican a

prima facie right unless the general conduct and management of'his house has been unsatisfactory, the accommodation has become insufficient for the requirements of the locality, the licensee has lost his good character, or that he has knowingly and wilfully committed any breach for which he would be or has been liable to forfeit his license. "We confess to not being able quite to understand why, when the publican cannot supply the requirements of a growing locality, he should be deprived of his license ; but this is of little moment. Surely the temperance people aught to be satisfied if they have liberty accorded to them to deprive any man of his license in a properly constituted court of law, in which he has had the opportunity of refuting calumnious reports made respecting him. But they are not calumnious, as we shall see. A new clause, which the Premier intends to propose, ought to be accepted by Mr. Fox and his friends. This, which would seem to be framed solely in their interest, and with a view to blunders they have made recurring, empowers Licensing Courts to consider objections not duly lodged, after an adjournment has taken place for the purpose of allowing the licensee complained of to prepare his case in defence. Addenda proposed to another clause define the conditions on which licensing districts on goldfields and elsewhere throughout the Colony may be proclaimed. The persons who have accepted the Bill, which is a fair and impartial attempt to meet an admitted difficulty, will, we presume, accept the amendments, which seem to have been devised for the purpose of conciliating all parties. We j rocognise the awkward fact that the people who are inoculated with the j delusion that to cure drunkards you must | harass publicans will accept nothing short of their favorite nostrum. They go into Parliament prepared to see things only through their own spectacles, and with their mincls hardened against conviction. They sit, not as a jury to hear evidence and decide thereon, but to give effect to a foregone conclusion. But the Bill commends itself to the consideration of the fairer dealing portion of the community who do not seek to compel Parliament |to enforce the views of a minority upon the majority. They do not believe in preventing A. B. and C. from having a glass of beer because D. chooses to bo a drunkard. And they know, as does everyone who is able to form an impartial opinion on the subject, that crying to Parliament to make people sober is of no earthly use. Mr. Bright goes further, and says it " ought not " to be. Sticklers for consistency will regard with an approval, that must be qualified to an extent, the fourth amendment Mr. Fox proposes to introduce. Every servant at a club, or at other places supplying alcoholic liquors, muat have a license before he can be permitted to supply suih. liquors. This is, of course, supposing Mr. Fox's amendments to become law. Every person employed at Bellamy's must then have a license. Mr. Fox has long labored under the difficulty that ho is ex officio a member of a private drinking saloon, at which alcoholic liquors are supplied, on a Sunday or other day. This saloon he now proposes to bring under the action of the law, and so far he is partially consistent. To be wholly so he should, on the principle that charity begins at home, have sought to make temperance hotels of Bellamy's and the Club, but perhaps he thought it best to try to introduce the thin end of the wedge. His next amendment of importance, that no female shall be employed in any public bar or tap-room under a penalty of £2O, or failing to carry this, that no female \inder thirty years of age shall be employed, will be simply laughed out of the House. Barmaids are an institution affected by the public, hotel proprietors, and by themselves. If they choose to earn an honest living at the occupation they pursue, it is simply monstrous that they should not be permitted to do so, and the more especially because in wellordered bars where respectable barmaids are found there is much less license permitted than would be the case if only barmen attended. There is much reason in the amendment of the hon. member that every bar or taproom shall be a workroom or factory within the meaning of the Employment of Females Act of 1873, but how it is to be applicable to railroads and other places we do not see. His eighth amendment—that every public bar or place in which intoxicating liquors shall be sold shall have open glass windows towards the street or road on which the same maj T abut, without any paint, blind, or other obstruction to the view from the outside, so that it may be clearly seen who is drinking within, and what scenes are there taking place—is simply impracticable. If it were carried it would necessitate that every hotel should have a glass house fronting the street, thus rendering numberless private parlors, commercial rooms, etc., useless. In tho 9fch clause he |jroposes to give the old power of harassing the publican by means of petitions, or voting papers, the expense of which he intends to try and father upon the general revenue to which these piibliean3 so largely contribute. In proposing such absurdities to his brother legislators, whether in the shape of new clauses or amendments, he pays their intelligence a very poor compliment.