THE NEW LICENSING COMMISSION AT ROXBURGH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 368, 27 June 1874, Page 2

THE NEW LICENSING COMMISSION AT ROXBURGH.

(To (he Editor.)

Sir, — The Licensing Commission for thii district held its sitting on the 19th mat., Mr. Mervyn presiding, all applications with one exception being granted, the exception being that of Mr. J. M'Laughlin, who applied for a bush license, but on the application being considered it "was declined — not from anj objection on the part of the police or any one j else, but simply because the house is within the limited distance of ten miles from the nearest public house. Of thiß fact two of the Commissioners were previously fiJlj aware, and they had promised applicant his license should be granted ; but strange to ssr, theother Commissioner not objecting, these very two were the ones opposed to the granting of the application. Mr. M'Laughlin then wished to amend his application by having > general instead of a bush license ; but our two over-scrupulous and sensitive Commissioner! refused to allow such amended application to be made, and the result is that a how situated, according to the report of tl« sergeant of police, in a most exposed pla«i and distant eight miles on one side and twelre miles on the other side, has in the face of a! reason been refused a license, and the occupiffi who has built it specially as an accommod* tion houßeatconsiderableexpense,andal3olieU licenses in respect of . it, will of necessity b« forced to the much deplored practice of slygrog selling. No doubt one of the Commissioners, who made himself unusually prominent in his exalted office, thinks but ligktfy of the offence of sly-grog selling ; but I wonld remind him that all individuals are not of ti» same stamp as himself, and there are mv? who would prefer to act in obeyance rathrt than in defiance of the laws. HoweverlauitJ the old licensing lawß may be, I do think th« present is no improvement upon them.— I am, &c., Tbmpi^Roxburgh, 23rd June.