NEW LICENSING BILL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 263, 5 June 1880, Page 2

NEW LICENSING BILL.

Wellingtok, Jan® 2, ' The mam feature is the application of the local option principle to new licenses, «md not to those already in force, so that no cr mpensation clause is necessary. It repeals the existing Acts and abolishes the present licensing districts are to Se proclaimed by the Governor, the boundaries to be .as far as possible co-terininous with those of boroughs, wards, ridings, or road districts, as most convenient. New or special districts, as most convenient. Newer special districts may be proclaimed where and when necessary. A “ Licensing Committee ” is to be constituted for each district comprising the Resident Magistrate of the district and four persons appointed from time to time by the Governor. The usual provisions are made for elec:ions and filling up vacancies AH persons interested in the manufacture of sale of liquors, or in licensed premises

and all paitj- officers of. the General or Local Government, are disqualified from being members of the C mmittee. Members of the Committee hold office for two y°ars, bat may be re—appointed, two to form a quorum- Present licenses to be subject to the Act which-will apply equally to all districts. No bottle licenses are to be gran led in future, existing b >ttle licenses to continue in force until June 3oth, 1881, and then cease absolutely. Unmarried women may Ik Id licenses, but constables and bailrffs m y not. The Minister^ for T nblic Works may license ra’lway stations and refreshment room's. Brewers an l spirt merchants must tak£out wholesale licenses. No person is to hold more than one of the seven differ ent classes of licenses provided, viz. (1) publicans, (-2) family hotel, (3) billiard t ible, i 4) conditional, (5) packet (6) club, and (7) whohsale. Number 1 authr riti s the sale of liquor fr nn 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; number 2 the sale to bona fide residents of hotels ; (8) keeping billiard tables to be used between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. This, however, is included in publicans’ licenses. Number 4 provi les for booths at races, regattas, matches, &c. number 5 for coasting vessels at sea ; number 6 for bona fide clubs ; number 7 for th« sale of liquor in quantises of two gallons or more . Midnight licenses may be franted on the payment of LlO extee, and additional ba s at the rate of one-third extra ot the foe. Each family hotel to be licensed to contain at least ten rooms, and public houses in addittion must have stab in". A quarterly licen-ing meeting is to be held in March, June, September, and December, a month’s public noti e being given. All applications to be heard in open Court, and the hearing may be adjourned' The inspector of licensed premises in every district is to furnish a report on each licensed house ten days b-dore each meeting, and also one on every new application, transfer, Jbc., at the licensing meeting, Applications for old houses are to be reprtfWd on next, and renewals, &c. afterwards, unless the latter are objected to, in which case they come second. Due notice of objections is to be given to the applicants. No house is to W licensed if any part:is ( fitted up as a retail store, theatre, concert room or dancing room. The coim--1 xpttea are to determine cases of “ such evidence as shall seem to them sufficient, whether strictly legal evidence or not.’ ’ The committee are to decide by a in jority ; their decision to be announced by the chairman alone, who is to hate a casting vote, and no decision, once announced is to be questioned- or reconsidered. PabJcans licenses for new bouses are to e subject to the rote of the ratepayers or electors of the district the sole question to be submitted to their vote being “ the proposal that the nnmlwr of publicans licenses in the district may be increased,” and the majority of votes to be decisive if In the negative but if affirmative, this *will not oblige the committee to issue new licenses. Objections to the gran? ing or renewal of ’ licenses may be made by a memorial of persons over 18 years of age, by the police, by corporate bodies or others,>nd the licensing committee rosy take 'cognisance of such objections, and may award costs against either objector or applicant ; and the application, if refused, my be renewed at the next annual meeting unless refused on the ground of personal unfitness, when three years must elapse. The usual provisions arr made for enforcing the payment of Hocuses fees, renewals, transfers, removals &'•. Packet, club, conditional and wholesale licenses may be granted at any time by the.licensing magistrate or any two members of the comittee. The granting of nii y 1 censes to be entirely at discretion of committee, and at any quarterly meeting a license my be cancelled if the house is Improperly kept. The annual fees proposed are—Publicans licenses, L4U in borough ; L3O ontside ; family hold, L2O ; billard table,Llo ; conditional licenses at discretion not to exceed L3o ; packet licenses, Llo ; dub L2o, wholesale, Llo. The fees are to goto the Borough, County, or Road Board funds. Registers of licenses and application are to -be kept, and the customary provisions are made as to theconduct and management of houses. No post or rate office is to be kept at alicensed house, and no liquor to be sold on credi . The penalty for permitting drunkeness on the. premises, or selling liquor to a drunken person is L2o for the first offence-and Lso tor subsequent dftefefllf , Licensed houses, are- to be closed on Sundays, Christmas' day and Good FV'day. All convictions of licences for offences to be recorded on their licences There are ordinary provisions as to bon* fide travellers and lodgers- 'I he maximum penalties for sly grog selling are Lso or one month's imprisonment for the first offence, Lloo or three months imprisonment and five years disqushticn for the second,. No actual communication between licensed- houses and places"of public amusement is permitted No liquor is to be supplied to persons under twelve years of age, or to habitual drunkards. The inspectors of licensed premises are to be appointed with power of entry and search. —Press.