The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 11, 1904. THE LICENSING BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 160, 11 July 1904, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 11, 1904. THE LICENSING BILL.

The Licensing Bill, which it is understood will be introduced after the financial debate, has not yet been circulated, although it is in the hands of the printer, and may be expected down any day. The special correspondent of the Duncdin Star has obtained a digest of the proposals contained in the bill, which, he states, will practically be that of last year with the eliminations indicated by the Premier when the order of business was discussed in the House last November. " The machinery clauses of the bill," suys the correspondent, "will be the same. The provision (or submitting lo the electors a suggestion for taking tJie licensing poll at every alternate electoral poll, thus constituting a six years' tenure, is eliminated. So also is the clause providing that where any area of licensing district through a change of boundaries such area shall be deemed not to form part of the new district until 1 after the result of the second licensing poll thereafter is taken in such district. Other eliminations are the conditions proposed to apply to the 1 proposal for the increase of publicans' licenses where the population has increased, as provided for in ' section 5 of the Alcoholic Liquors , Sale Control Act, 189 H. Neither is it intended to press for the reconstitution of the committee ex officio of the mayors of boroughs and chairmen of county councils. As the Promier statu! last session, on reconsideration ho had come lo the conclusion that such a clause would interfere with the elective principle. Anotfcer suggestion which has been dropped from the bill is that which provided for a six years' tenure of license where a licensee, at the command of a committee, had made improvements to his premises at a cost of £3OOO or over. The proposal that non-voters shall not be struck off the roll is not to be pressed. The provisions as to the native licensing areas will not Ix; gone on with, and the rigjiit of the Minister to grant licenses for tourist houses will also be abandoned. So much for the excisions. r J he princiipul features of the Mil which will be maintained aro as follows :•—Tho celoiiVated clause 0, which provides that in any district where iio"-liconse is carried the possession of liquor within one month from the dialo when such a 'determination' shall Income to shall be an offence punishable by line and forfeiture. Limiting' the number of bars in accordance with the accommodation ol hotels; the total abolition of'bottle licenses ; tho provision (or wholesale licenses and the repeal of section KE of the principal Act ; tho prevention of the removal of lapsed lic.nses ; , the prevention of tho sale of liquor to pel hong apparently under eighteen years of age other teat bona tide guests, lodgers, or travellers ; and the punishment of persons under eighteen years of ago who secure liquor by falsely representing themselves us over eighteen ; the punishment of persons sending children under thirteen years nf age to i any licensed house tu letch liquors : ' the punishment of persons found on ' licensed premises alter hours unless they can show that their presence j was not in breach of the provisions i of the Licensing Acts with respect I the the closing of premises ; the punishment of licensees permitting gaming and adulterating Ifqiior with injurious materials; making it , illegal for the owner or landlord of < jany Ucetifiud premises lo accept any ' I consideration (or the assignment of ' i transfer of a license and'making-such - payment recoverable by the person i paying the same as a debt from f the person receiving it ; bringing ' clubs under the provisions- of the : Licensing Acts relating to inspec- f lion and illicit sales, and providing i that where no-licease is carried in a ' district the charters of clubs shall ' he susi>ended so long as the result , of the poll shall continue in force ; i giving licensing committees power to ■' close licensed premises wholly or partially for specified periods ; and j, fiaally, the tied houses prevention \ clause will be maintained." When i tho measure cornea up there will lx> l a lively dctxnte, especially over clause a. upon which tho fate of the bill r will practically ho settled. t