THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1892. INDUSTRIAL FARMS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2370, 16 June 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1892. INDUSTRIAL FARMS.

Ix 1878, Sir Harry Atkinson made a proposal to the effect that farms of land should be set apart in various parts of the colony for the purpose of settling thereon persons physically unfit to do ordinary work and others who could not find employment elsewhere. The proposal met with very little support, and it came to nothing. Now years before that we advocated a similar scheme, and, although opposing Sir Harry's Government at the same time we heartily supported him in his industrial farms proposals. There were other Liberals, we must say, who did not do so ; but, yielding to the exigencies of party warfare, condemned it by denominating it the '• pauper settlement " scheme. We are glad to see, however, that some of these have come round since, and that now it is to be made a part ot the policy of the present Government. No one in this colony need lay any claim to originality for having suggested this scheme. It is an old scheme, which is at present, and has been for generations, in full operation on the Continent. About 18 months ago or so, it was started in New South Wales, and there it is at present beginning to get into working order. Every man who applies obtains food and shelter, but he is made to work for it, and whatever profit is made at the end of a given time is divided amongst the workers. Now we know no suggestion hitherto made more humane or more wise than this. There are hundreds of men to-day living on Charitable Aid, who, on a farm such as is suggested, would be able to earn their own living, and enjoy comforts to which they are strangers. It is well known that dependence on Charitable Aid is only one step removed from absolute starvation, as the pittance doled out is not sufficient to give the recipients plenty of food. To such poor creatures, therefore, the prospects of sufficient food, and protection from the inclemency of the weather, together with absolute security from future want, would be an earthly paradise compared with their present miserable position : but advantageous as it would be to them, it would be far more so to the ratepayers, who would be relieved of the burden ot Charitable Aid. Of course, there would still be rates for Charitable Aid, as there would be many who could not do anything on the farm, but its burden would be greatly lightened, and the whole country would thus share in the benefit of it. Nothing has astonished us more than the indifference with which the proposal was l-eceived when it was at first suggested, but we are glad to notice that more attention is being paid to it at the present time, and that both parties now seem to realise its utility. There is, therefore, every prospect that the scheme will be given legal effect to during the coming session, and, if so, it will, we do not hesitate to say, prove of the greatest benefit to all classes.

POWERS OP LICENSING COMMITTEES. Tin: brief lelegram which reached us regarding the Sydenham Licensing Committee Appeal Case conveyed the idea that the Committee had full power to shut up public-houses when a majority of ratepayers voted in favor of doing so, The full decision of the Court of Appeal shows that this is not the case. The point on which the appeal of the Sydenham Licensing Committee against the judgment of Mr J listing Dennistoun was upheld was of a technical nature, and not as to whether the Committee had pq'iyer to shut up the houses or not. The point pn which, the appeal \va» decided was that Judge Dennistoun had no poM'er to restrain the Committee from refusing licenses. The Chief Justice said : " I agree 1 with the reasons given by Mr Justice Dennistoun in his judgment for concluding that t\e Committee had mistaken the meaning of the provision constituting it an objection to the granting of a license that it was not required in the neighborhood," Judge Williams said : " The Licensing Act is. intended to regulate the liquor traffic, not to destroy it. And if a Committee pledge themselves beforehand in effect not to renew any license, whatever evidence may be forthcoming that they are required, they are, to use the words of Lord JJalsbury, by evasion attempting to repeal the law which permits public houses to exist." The case, therefore, is left in this position ; the committee have no

power to refine licenses on the ground that they are not requited, b?it the Supreme Court has no powei- to restrain the committee from refusing licenses. The Judges in effect say : " The Licensing Committee is a judicial body entrusted with the administration of the law, and no one has a Fight to interfere with them in the performance of their duties." Some of the Judges

hinted that there were means of com. pelling them to do their duty, but they did not indicate what the means were. The position is, therefore, very complicated, but we presume the mode of compelling the committee to do their duty is as follows:—The Supreme Court has no right to interfere with them until they have performed tljeir

functions, that is, granted or refused licenses. When the licenses are refused then the Supreme Court can step in and reverse their decision. That, so far as we can make out, is the position, but if so the publicans need not have appealed to the Privy Council. So far as we can see the case is very complicated, and we hope to see it cleared up. One thing is clear, all the Judges agreed that the Licensing Committee had no right to refuse the licenses as their duty was to administer the law, not to repeal it or reduce it to a nullity.

MORE RAILWAYS. This colony is not yet out of the bush with regard to further borrowing. There is in Auckland a railway league which has for its object the making of the North Island Trunk line; there is also an agitation on foot in Otago to complete the Otago Central Kailway. Now from both these provinces will come after next election a large number pledged to secure the construction of both these lines, and whatever Government is in power it must yield to their influence. There is no money to make these railways with, but it must be found : we feel quite certain of that, and there is no means of finding it except by another loan. As Sir Robert Stout pointed out in a recent issue of the Otago Daily Times, the Stout-Vogel proposal was to borrow .£2,000,000 in instalments that would extend over 10 years, but Sir Harry Atkinson's party raised the cry of extravagance, went into office, and borrowed the money in one lump. That is all gone now, and we leel sure that the two railway leagues will never stop until another million at least is added to our indebtedness for making railways to benefit a few spuatters in the intei ior of these districts. A few years ago a proposal was brought forward to construct the Otago Central by taking 15 per cent, of the land revenue of that district. This land revenue is a part of the consolidated revenue of the colony, and if taken away the taxpayers would have to make the amount up. It is really and truly nothing more nor less than taxing the whole colony to make the Otago Central Railway. Still it would be much preferable to further borrowing ; it would be better for the people to put their hands in to their pockets and pay straight out for doing the work than go to the English market and saddle themelves with further burdens. Anything before further borrowing in the English market ; that system which is draining the life-blood of the colony in the shape of interest. But looking at the attitude of the two railway leagues we are afraid that another loan is inevitable.