LOCAL OPTION.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2632, 15 June 1877, Page 2

LOCAL OPTION.

At the meeting held in. the Temperance Hall, Dunedin, a few days ago, the following resolutions were adopted almost unanimously :— "In the opinion of this-meeting, a very large portion of the vice,., oritne, disease, poverty, and other social evils which exist in this Colony are the direct result of the traffic in andMie using of alcoholio beverages'." "That in the opinion of this meeting no system of licensing laws has yet been effective for the prevention of those evils to" proVent which they were enacted,- and that, therefore,, a change is necessary both in the principle and method of the laws dealing with the liquor.tradp.".'..' : ■- .. ' " That in the opinion of this meeting the principle embodied in a Local Option Bill is equitable, practicable, and likely to afford the public relief from many of the evils result* ing from the consumption: of intoxicating liquors."V - - -;'< ' :■''-' • ■'- ■■■ '^'-^ ■ ;.■■'•"'."■ '• ' ' " That the following petition be adopted as expressive of the opinion of this meeting, and put in charge of Mr Stout for presentation to the House «f Representatives." :—•;.. " To the Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled: "The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the ——— respectfully,'. ahoweth : That your petitioners believe that a very large proportion of the rice, crime, lunacy, poverty, and other social evils which exist in this Colony are the direct result of the licensed traffic in alcoholio beverages. That this traffic—the results of which so seriously affeot the social conditions of the people—is one which ought to be brought under the complete control of local self-government, and not be allowed in any locality against the wish of the inhabitants. That under the existing licensing systenrthe traffic in strong drink is established and continued in many localities against the wish of the large majority of the people resident therein. Your petitioners therefore pray that your honourable House will be pleased to grant fuller powers of local self-government in regard to the liquor traffic than those presently possessed; and that to ' this end your honourable House will be pleased to pass a bill to give to a majority of the inhabitants or ratepayers, as may be deemed expedient, power to veto the carrying on of the liquor traffio in their respective districts, with such machinery as may be necessary and efficient for bringing the same into operation. And' your petitioners, as in duty bound/ will ever pray." The following was proposed ajs an amendment to the third resolution, but rejected:— .-...,... " That whilst this meeting deplores the enormous evils resulting from the immoderate uae of alcoholic drink, yet its cannot approve of any measure which seeks to diminish the evil by closing hotels by vote of a majority without giving compensation to the owners of the houses closed."