NEW ZEALAND LIQUOR LEGISLATION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10066, 6 February 1909, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND LIQUOR LEGISLATION.

("Per Press Association.) Wellington, February 5. Mr R. A. Ranking, Police Magistrate, of Queensland, arrived in Wellington by the Mokoia to-day. Mr Ranking has been specially appointed by the Queensland Government to inquire into the liquor laws of the various States of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Mr Ranking states that the Queensland litiuor law dated back to 1885 and 1886, and although a few amending Acts have since been passed the Government feels that the whole of the existing legislation is a little behind the times. The Government of Queensland proposes to pass new liquor legislation, which will be based largely on Mr Ranking's research. Mr Ranking will conduct his inquiries in this country mainly on 'lines which may l>e summarised as follows: —The general result in New Zealand of licenses in particular districts as regards the visible effect upon social and civic improvements: the diminution in crime ; the effect on the Customs revenue: and generally as to how the well-being of the community had been or seemed to have been affected': also, as to the system of taking licensing polls, whether they should be taken'on the same day as the sreneral election polling, and, the_ ma-

jority required for carrying the issues submitted: as to the system of giving compensation for licenses removed ; as to the discrimination, if any. between the license fees in various portions of the same city; as to any system existing by which license fees vary itf regard to the amountof trade, and as to the question of wholesale spirit merchants, Sunday trading, and the adulteration of liquor.