THE LICENSING BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1918, Page 5

THE LICENSING BILL.

OUTLINE OF PROVISIONS.

NOT SATISFACTORY TO EITIIEK

SIDJO.

(Hy Telegraph—Special Correspondent.)

Wellington, Last Night. The JLiceusii'.g Amendment Biil is a measure of 75 clauses. Examination con linns tho lirst impression that it is exceedingly involved and cumbersome, and is burdened witli much contentious and, apparent!,i, unnecessary detail. A speeial licensing poll is to be taken in April next, the issues being:—Continuance and national prohibition with compensation. Provision is made for taking tlie votes of the soldiers. A bare majority will decide. If national prohibition is carried, it will come into operation on June 30 following tho poll. It. will then be an ofi'cnce to sell, to manufacture, or to possess for the pur pose of sale any alcoholic liquor in any part of New Zealand. Liquor may be supplied by regulation for medicinal, scientific, sacramental, or industrial purposes exclusively.

Detailed provision is made for thepay« ment of compensation. The Minister for Finance may borrow sums not exceeding £4,500,000, to he paid into a liquor trade compensation account. The persons to receive compensation are ■brewers, owners, and lessees of hotel premises, owners of furniture on hotel premises, hotel licensees, wholesale licensees, chartered clubs, wine-makers, maltsters, owners of vineyards of more than three years standing. The basis of the compensation will be the depreciation of the value of the asset, whatever it may be, and the termination of the, trade. Servants are to have compensation in respect only of loss of opportunity of occupation. Rules are laid down for the assessment of compensation, but it does not appear that there is any limit to the total amount of compensation to be paid. Holders of liquor are to have the right to export, and they receive a refund of Customs duties. Courts of compensation, each consisting of ft magistrate and assessors, are to be set up.

If continuance is carried at the special poll, three issues are io be submitted at the licensing poll at the time of the general election, namelr, continuance, national prohibition without compensation, and State purchase of alcohol. An elector will vote for one proposal only, and if 110 proposal receives more than one-half of the valid votes cast, continuance will be deemed to have been carried. If national prohibition is carried. it will come into operation"on .Tune 30 following the date nf the poll. There will be no compensation of anv kind if State control is carried. A Controller of the trade in liquor will be appointed, and will take over the whole trade within a year. Compensation wjll be paid as already described, and the Minister for Finance may raise sums not exceeds in« £10.0(10.000 for this purpose. The Bill deals with many details and contingencies if national continuance is carried, both at. the special poll and tho first general licensing poll. Local option will be dropped altojether, except in no-license districts, which will have the .right to vote on the question of restoration.

The three issues will be put asrain on the same terms at each succeeding orenernl licensing poll, until either Stnte ownership or national prohibition without compensation has obtained an absolute majority. If national prohibition, a bare majority is to decide. When nro-* hibition is earried under any heading there will be no further licensing polls in any district.

The Licensing Bill does not appear to be regarded with much approval by either the prohibitionists or the trade. Supporters of each side' are able to discover in the Bill some good points and some very bad points. Trade supporters object to the referendum and to the short notice to be allowed the trade in the event of prohibition being carried, and they are not satisfied altogether with the scheme of compensation, but their objection? to the Bill are not as strongly worded as those of the prohibitionists, who are pleased with the referendum, but object strongly to the procedure to bo followed in the event of national prohibition not being carried at the first poll. They state that tlie Bill, by proposing a three-issue ballot paper, without provision for preferential voting, is entrenching the trade, since continuance is to be deemed to be carried if none of th? three issues secures an absolute majority of the total votes c-ast. This proposal is suro to he resisted in the House

The Bill provides that the Government mav borrow £4..W0.00 for the purpose of paving compensation, but it \does not say that the compensation awarded is not to exce"d this figure. The -boards of assessment are to Ijnsp their awards on the assessed depreciation and trade loss, and it does not appear that they need" be arnided by the size of the compensation fund at all. Further T,egislati*"s authority would bo required to enlarge the fund.