LICENSING REFORM.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1919, Page 4

LICENSING REFORM.

PRIVATE MEMBER'S JTLL. GOME ORIGINAL FEATURES. t By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. I . In tho House of Representative! to-day, 1 on the motion of Mr. McCallum (Wairau), the State Control of Licenses Bill ' was read a iitui time. The mover txplained that under the Bill all licensee* vvoujd be invited to form themselves into a guild, so that those engaged in the trade may themselves have a direct control of all licenses, the Minister of Licenses and the committee to be largely guided by the tiuild of Licensees before granting or renewing a license to a licensee who is deteriorating. (1) The establishment of a department of licenses, with a Minister, specially appointed to control it and become responsible to Parliament for the 1200 puuli-, cans and accommodation house keepers, also the licenses now in existence to all a brewers and wholesale licenses and. ail 1 matters connected with the sale of alcoholic liquor,. (2) The present licensing committees to have extended, power* such as insisting upon increased accommodation being provided, both In rebuilding new hotels and existing ones, and generally as to administration and control, and to advise the Minister tad bis..officer*. (3) The local option polls for continuance and restoration- to be continued, but to be held at longer intervals than formerly. A compensation fund to be established for the loss of licenses through no fault of ' tho licensees. Other provisions were that no transfer, conveyance, or lease of guy licensed premises shall be entered into without the consent of the Minister after five years. The present annual licensing fee to be abolished and a percentage to be. collected and pajd to the local authority on all liquor bought for sale. No adulteration of any kind to be permitted; breaking down to be don* by the wholesale dealers under departmental supervision; analysts to be apnninted and stringent penalties for breaches; prices to be fixed by the department, both for the wholesaler and retailer; tied houses to be entirely abolished, and this to apply to all goods, whether liquor or not, used in the bust* ness; a fair rack rent only to be charged; trafficking in licenses to be made penal; no licensee to be qualified to hold a fresh license for a period of three years after transferring a lioeiuej one man one license, and wherever possible the owner to conduct the business himself; the Railway Department to have authority to establish, maintain, and conduct hotels (without open ban) at the principal stations throughout the Dominion, this to be extended to the Tourist Department if desired. All persons engaged in or about bars to be under the control of the Minister and committee within certain limitations; power to bo ?j V en to the Minister -to, insist upon the accommodation of any licensed premises being increased, or, in default, the license to be cancelled, but with compensation; power to want a license to suitable premises within a radius of 440 yards in lieu of one so closed; the regulations for the conduct and control of tho trade to be drawn up and submitted to Parliament within fourteen days of the opening of the following session; further amendments to be brought down each session until such reforms are brought about as will obviate the necessity of further local option polls. J