THE GOVERNMENT LICENSING BILL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2544, 19 August 1893, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT LICENSING BILL.

The above Bill has at last been circulated, and contains twenty clauses. We have not space in this issue to give the full details of the measure, but the following, taken from the Otago Daily Times, will give a good idea of it. We may, however, say that it proposes that, instead of ratepayers, as heretofore, the voters under the Bill shall be electors of members of Parliament. The one-man-one-vote will be adopted, but publichouses cannot be closed except by a majority of threefifths—that is, 60 votes in favor of licenses will be equal to 100 votes against it. The licensing districts will be coterminus with electoral districts, committees will be elected for three years, and no one shall be disqualified because of previously-expressed opinions. A poll of the electors shall be taken every three years as to whether licenses shall be renewed, and if a bare majority votes in favor of reducing the number of licenses the number shall be reduced, but it will take three-fifths to prohibit altogether. A good idea will be obtained from the following:—

1 this evening saw Sir Robert Stout, the leader of the temperance party in the House, and asked him to express his views on the Government Alcoholic Liquor Sale Control Bill. Sir Robert kindly agreed. This bill he said " adopts the alliance principle of making the licensing districts coterminus with electoral districts. Personally, I consider it would have been better for the temperance party to have been content with the smaller licensing districts as they now exist; but as the alliance has accepted the larger districts I do not feel called npon to object to this part of the Government b\\\ The. vote is to be. taken apparently on one day throughout the ooiany, but section I'd is badly worded, and is • _ , drawn. There is a mistaJ-' m P J obviously. It shn- iU meaQ that thQ Gq vernor sbo- id fix QUQ licenßing daVj but th p , .Jill read 3as if the returning officer shall fix one licensing day for the whole colony. The points that will be objected to by the temperance party will be mainly that the majority for no-licensing is to be three-fifths, and, secondly, that if one-half of the voters do not vote, then the whole poll is void. I think this latter provision making the poll void is wrong, and that the act ought not to encourage abstention from voting. The bill adopts the alliance platform so far as including clubs is concerned, and the bill adopts one clause in my Licensing Bill—that the opinions of members of a licensing committee is not to disqualify. • I doubt if it is wise to make the licensing committee to consist of nine people. I think the number is too large. But that is a detail Ido not care to fight."

" But you do not accept the Bill as a whole ?"

" I have given notice of some amendments. They will be simply to make section 13 read " Government" inntead of " returning officer," and to alter section 15—that is, as to the majority—slightly. lam content to take the other parts of the bill if these slight amendments be given me." "And what are these slight amendments ?"

" They will be to change the three-fifths majority to a bare majority, and to strike out the latter part of clause 15, which says that the poll is void if one-half on the roll don't vote. The Bill contains many provisions that are beneficial, especially as to the increase of licenses, and in this respect goes beyoud any previous licensing bill that has ever been passed, for it provides there can be no increase iznless the population increases, and then only after a vote. It also provides that if no poll is held, and if things are to remain as at present, no new licenses can be granted within a district. It will be especially beneficial to districts that are at present prohibition districts. The biil also is a groat advantage in this respect., that iprovides what the alliance has demanded —namely, that the register to be used shall bo the electoral ro.'ls, and [ have no doubt that when tho women's franchise is granted that, tho bill will be found to be exceedingly beneficial as a whole. I am well pleased with the bill, though, as I pointed out, it does not go the length I think it should go. In section 35 I hope, however, the House will restore the bare majority, and if it does that in section 15 the bill will be a most distinct advance on any existing law. I do not intend to move any amendments to the bill except the few I have given notice of in order that, so far as the temperance party is concerned, we may do our best to got the bill put through the House. I have also given notice that I shall not proceed with my bills. I will keop them on the pape--, but I will uot go ou with thorn, because I have

faith that the Government will carry out their promise, and that they will proceed with legislation this session. I do not, therefore, wish to take up the time of the House or interfere with the passage of the Government measure."

" I presume you will fight for your amendments V

" Certainly; I shall take a discussion on them. That is all I can do."

sir Hubert's little amendments,

The amendments of which Sir Robert has given notice are to give power to the Governor instead of the returning officer to appoint the day of polling, to alter the three-fifths majority to a bare majority, to strikeout altogether the clause making the votes to be those on the roll and not recorded, and altering the number of licenses to be reduced from not exceeding one-fourth to not less than one-fourth. OTHER OPINIONS. Much surprise is expressed among the liquor party at the concessions made to the water party in the Government bill. As a prominent advocate of the alcoholic interest expressively and feelingly put it to a big representative of the brewing interest, as the real meaning of the bill dawned upon him, " This adjective bill will never do for us." The alliance party, on the contrary are agreeably disappointed with the measure, and from their point of view think it will " do" for the liquor interest, particularly if Sir Robert Stout can get in what he so modestly terms in the interview I have just had with him "my little amendments." There can be no doubt that the bill has been fought clause by clause in the Cabinet by the Ministerial adherents of both parties, and it is some ordinarily well-informed quarters thatthe contention was at one time so strong as to make a Cabinet crisis possible. If this be so, I venture to think that the temperance party have most to thank the Hon. John McKenzie for the now diminished hope of the whisky party, and next to him the Hon. Mr Reeves, who so fearlessly and explicitly proclaimed his views upon the second reading of the bill of Sir Robert Stout.