HOTEL LICENSES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 5 December 1913, Page 6

HOTEL LICENSES.

A QUESTION OF HOTEL COMPENSATION.

The loss of ihotel licenses as a result of the .alterations of electoral boundaries gave rise to a brief discussion in the House "of Representatives on Wednesday, when the M to Z Committee reported upon the petitions of Nellie St. Leger and-three others, of Masterton, praying for compensation for loss of their licenses* by this cause, The Committee reported that as a question of policy was involved, it had no recommendation to make. \

Mr W. H. D. Bell (member for Wellington Suburbs) said that, the whole matter had been discussed tvery fully when he introduced a Bill dealing with it last year. He did not see how people could get compensation in a ca.se of this sort except by petition. The Bill introduced last year, though not .defeated, was "talked out." Now the Petitions Committee reported that, as a question of policy was involved, it had very little hope of redress I .' Finally, Mr Bell expresseel a hope that the Government, notwithstanding the report of the Committee, would take, into consideration the question of compensating these people. •Mr L. M. Isitt said that there had also been injustices on the other side for which the No-license party had received nd redress.

The report was allowed to lie on the table.