South Canterbury Times, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2775, 14 February 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1882.

The approach of the date fixed (Feh, 18—Saturday next) for the nomination of candidates for the various Licensing Committees for South Canterbury suggests that it would be advisable for the ratepayers in each district to consider the advisability or otherwise of combining with those of one or more other districts to secure the return of the same persons as members of their Committees. The number of licensed houses in each licensing district is so small that ft would be a waste of time for a different Committee to sit for each of them. The late division of the work among the four Licensing Benches worked satisfactorily, we believe, and the return of the same five persons for each of the new districts comprised in the old ones would be found a satisfactory arrangement for some years to come. Such an arrangement would practically make one district of the Borough of Timaru, the Levels and the Mount Cook Hidings, another of the Tomuka Biding, a third of the Geraldine Riding, and a fourth of the Waimate Country. The work of superintending, the licensing of the three first-named districts if so amalgamated would not be onerous ; the charge of some of the separate districts would be of so unimportant a character that it might be difficult to get five persons of the proper stamp to take sufficient interest in it to undertake it, or even for the ratepayers to take the trouble of nominating candidates and polling for their election if necessary. It is for the ratepayers to choose whom they will in each instance, but it would appear advisable that, as far as possible, gentlemen should be elected who have had experience of the working of the old Licensing law, and are acquainted with the circumstances of the several licensed houses. We understand that negotiations are now pending, between the licensed victuallers of this Borough and the Temperance bodies for an amicable arrangement as to whom shall be nominated to form the Committee for the district, and it is to be hoped that the negotiations will prove successful. If no more gentlemen are agreed to be nominated than are required to form the Committee, namely, five, it would be a good thing if the ratepayers of the Levels and Mount Cook districts—who have to make their nominations at the same time and place—were to send dele,gates to nominate the same persons, for this year at least. In all probability, we imagine, if this step is not taken, the elections for the Levels and Mount Cook districts will be allowed to lapse, in which event it is likely the Governor would appoint the members of the Timaru Committee iu each case. It would be a pity, though, to allow the election to fall through, either in whole or in part. The popular form of government is the voluntary or elective, and no opportunity of exercising the power of chocsing those who have in any degree the management of our affairs should be thrown away, ■ either deliberately or through negligence. There is one thing about the administration of the new law that we do not understand. The law itself provides (subsection 15, section 18) that every Licensing Committee shall hold its meetings, in districts in which there is no Courthouse, at such place . . . . as may from time to time be appointed by the Chairman. Yet an advertisement has already appeared notifying that the quarterly licensing meetings for the Timaru, Levels, and Mount Cook districts shall be held at the Timaru Courthouse, the Washdyke, and Burke’s Pass respectively, although the Committees have not yet been elected, nor consequently, the Chairman appointed. If the ratepayers of the three districts do agree to elect the same persons for their Committees, it would be useless to expect those gentlemen to go to Burke’s Pass—beyond which place there is only one licensed house, while there are several on this side of it—to conduct the business of the district, and their doing so in accordance with the notice would be impossible, inasmuch as the three meetings are notified to take place at the same hour of the same day. Wo are told that the notice is a preliminary one, taken somewhat prematurely to make up for delay in bringing the law into operation. If so it is merely a compromise with one of the many difficulties that are

being met with in bringing the law into operation. From what has taken place so far, the prospect of the new law working smoothly does not seem a very bright one.