PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3894, 22 June 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(Per Press Aociation.)

HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, Tuesday, Evening: Sitting,

LICENSING BILL,

The Licensing Bill was further considered in Committee.

The following clause, No. 31, Mr Swanson moved that it be struck out:— " A bottle license shall authorise the licensee to sell and dispose of on the premises therein specified, but not elsewhere, any liquors in bottles corked and sealed, of sizes of which six or twelve are usually reckoned to the gallon, and not to be drunk upon the premises ; provided that not less than one bottle, containing not less than one quart, snail be sold at one time to any one person."

The Hon Mr Dick said he would con* sent to the clause being struck out, which was accordingly done on the voices.

Clause 32, New Zealand wine licenses, granting the right to sell any wine, cider, or perry, the produce of fruit grown in New Zealand, in any quantity not exceeding two gallons at any one time to any one person.

Mr Wakefield strongly supported the clause, which was founded on the recommendation of the Local Industries Commission,! who, after full evidence, found that licenses would greatly encourage an important local industry.

■Considerable discussion ensued, and several amendments were proposed and negatived on the voices. Ultimately the clause passed as printed.

On clause 33, billiard table licenses, Mr Dick, after some discussion, said he would yield to the evident wish of members, and consent to the clause being struck out.

The clause was accordingly struck out.

Clause 34, steamer licenses, was passed

On clause 35, wholesale licences, Mr Andrews moved that the minimum quantity to be sold at any one time of any one description of liquor be one bottle instead of two gallons.

The amendment was rejected on a division by 38 to 23.

Mr Trimble moved to strike out all the words requiring the gallons to be of the same description of liquor.

This amendment was carried on the voices. -

Mr Barron moved an addition authorising the sale of bottles on payment of an additional license fee of £30.

The Chairman ruled the amendment out of order.

Mr Lundon then moved an amendment to restrict wholesale licenses to towns and boroughs.

This was lost on a division by 32 to 29,

On clause 36, conditional licenses, Mr Bowen moved that the word " circus " be struck oat. Agreed to.

Mr Bowen then moved, that the limit of duration of such licenses be six instead of seven days.

Mr Pitt moved that the words limiting the duration at all be struck out, saying that the Rifle Association meetings at Nelson frequently lasted ten days or a fortnight. He would leave the question of duration to the discretion of the Magistrates.

Sir W. Fox urged the abolitiou of all canteens.

After some discussion,, Mr Boweu's amendment was negatived, aud the clause passed as printed.

Clause 37 was carried, giving the Licensing Committee power to grant extension of time for selling, upon the payment of £10 extra, and the right of opening more than one bar oti the same premises upon paying a fee of one third that payable for the license.

Clause 38, requirements of family hotel license was struck out.

Lateb. Wellington, This day.

The debate upon the Licensing Bill was continued last night. Clause 43 was postponed, and the others up to 45 were passed with some verbal amendments. On clause 46, restricting the operation of local option to new licenses, Sir Wm. Fox moved the omission of the word "new."

Mr Saunders, as a member of the temperance party, urged them to be content with having got local option to the fullest extent in electing the Licensing Benches, and urged them not to endanger this and the bill altogether by asking for too much.

After a very brief discussion, the amendment was negatived on the voices, and the clause was passed with the provision that clubs existing on the Ist of June last should continue after the Ist of January and till they had au opportunity to obtain a license.

Clauses up to 60—dealing principally with the mode of testing the feeling of the inhabitants under local option—were passed with verbal amendments, and 62 postponed. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 12.5.