A LICENSING FIASCO.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1048, 18 June 1883, Page 2

A LICENSING FIASCO.

The necessity for an amendment in the Licensing Act has been very forcibly shown by the proceedings at the meeting of the Manaia Committee on Thursday last. The case before the committee was an application by Mr James Power for a new license to his premises now used as a boarding house. There was an objection by Sergeant-Major Goodall, on the ground that the house was not large enough for a public-house; there was also a memorial from certain of the inhabitants setting forth that the house was not required, the three existing houses being sufficient for public requirements. The objections may have been reasonable enough; we should say they were, but the fact remains that the European members of the committee decided to grant the license. It was then that an absurdity in the Act disclosed itself. Mr Hone Pihama is also a member of the committee, and that astute individual, impelled by motives best known to himself, declined to endorse the decision of his confreres. As the Act is clear that the assent of the Native Assessor is imperative before a license can be granted in a Native Licensing District, Hone remained master of the position, and, perforce, the License could not issue. The Counties of Hawera and Patea are included in the Upper Wanganui Native Licensing District, and~nrereTorc. pUU-~ -lioono -o ro-vt rtnally- at the mercy of the Native assessor. If be can be induced to stand out against the granting of a license, granted it cannot be, as the law is at present. Some alteration is necessary here, because it is monstrous that a committee should be overruled by one individual, be he never so philanthropic and good. No doubt attention will be drawn to this matter in the proper quarter.