LICENSING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 294, 7 December 1908, Page 4

LICENSING.

HEFOIUI I'EOM WITUIX. Dealing with the licensing question, the. Christehureh Pressi says :—W'e should prefer some legislation which, while not interfering with private ownership would purge tlie present system of its worst features. If that is impossible, then we would be prepared to aliow the question of municipal control to be submitted as all alternative issue to the electors, so as to give individual districts an opportunity of adopting it in preference to continuance, reductio i, or no-license. 14' those interested in the trade are wise we think they will cooperate with the leaders of the moderate partv in drafting and assisting to pass some legislation which will put the Dtismesi ir.'. a footing more acceptable to the mass of the electors. This limy involve some diminution of prolits, at any rate at first, lint the lessened profits would be compensated for by increased security. At present it would seem lliat unless the trade are prepared to accept lower profits tlley may their bus.:ilem wiped out altogethel as an occupation recognised by law in the course ol a comparatively i.:u years.

MUNICIPAL CON THOU A CU'.tiGY.UA.YS I'ilOl'OS.iL. 11l convei'sat uti with a New Zcala.iu Times rcjwrlcr the ll«v. U H. Cosset i, vicar of llerivale, said it appeared to him that 110 reform short of the eliiui .- ution of private profit could be satisinc l.ory or eiieetive. lie believed the true solution lay i u municipal control, the broad principles ot which he bnetty sketched. lie would like to_ see a body appointed after the style of tile lian--way Board with power to borrow against the rates, for the purpose ot taking over at an equitable valuation micli hotels as were necessary for the convenience uikl of tti% public. it might not be necessary tu take over the whole of the license, anu those not re(|uired might be extinguished in some fair and equitable mann-i to the holder,i. The hotels would 1" i-un as restaurants on cafe lines, ami there sliouhl be neither burs nor bar maids. At each house a manager \v>un be placed in charge at a good salan mid he should be removable from ollih at short notice. lie would be give'' absolutely no interest in the sale ol liquors, but possibly he might be allow cd a small percentage on the busiile® done in tlve restaurant department Smoking and otli'er Tooms should hi comfortably fitted up with lahU-a chairs, etc., and light comestibles. the smoking room might be attended bj waiters and other departments by wait vesses, with a head waiter in charge ol the staff to ensure that there were w too 111 all v "returns" of liquor eallei for. All "of the houses should bu in te.e phonic communication bo that the fael of any undesirable person being refus ed liq'uoT in one place and making hi' way to another could be notified. The out-of-door system of the Continent should form part of the ultimate policy of the board. As to the profits aeeru ill" from the business, tliesc snoulcl more tlian suffice for the maintenance and the payment of interest and sink inir fund. No burden should lie easl upon the ratepayers by the scheme. Oi tiie other hand considerable sums shouk 1 remain over after all charges were met ' and these could be applied as the boan thought fit. * Something in the naturr 1 of te,\ garden* might alio lie provnWt ' where ten and light drinks su<?h as ' la"er beer, claret, etc.. might be serve' 1 in"kiosks, lie would like to see some 1 tiling of the sort provided at the pub.it ' "aniens for the people during (^en ni"s of the wara summer months I that they could take their refreshments ' at little tables and listen to music sup ' plied bv especially engaged bands. Mi ' fiossett objected 'to State control, prr r ferring local or municipal control.