CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2007, 4 June 1885, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE LICENSING QUESTION,

To the Editor,

Sir,—Tho recent decision of the Licensing Committee seemß to have startled the friends of tho liquor traffic. Your correspondent "Ratepayer" is very wrath with the Committee for their action in refusing Mr Sullivan a license for his house. He points out the great loss it will be to the town, and seems to think that there will be almost a commercial collapse in Masterton in consequence of the .Committee's action, It was stated before the Committee there was great need for increased accommodation; Now, if Mr Sullivan and his friends were so anxious to supply this, they are still quite at liberty to do so. There is nothing to hinder them from doing the legitimate hotel business of "housing, up-putting, and accommodating travellets." The sale of liquor is incidental to the business of hotel-keeping, and throughout the Act that position is maintained. Mr Sullivan can still spend his £I2OO in furnishing, and have a large annual expenditure in keeping up his establishment, '' Ratepayer" seems very anxious on this point, but I fail to see why there should be all this "hubbub" because the Committee have decided that Mr Sullivan skll not hve permission to sell liqmr. I hope the friends of the Temperance cause will not be frightened by petitions or anything else, but stand firm in the cause of sobriety, progress, and prosperity. I am, &c., Truth.

June 3rd, 1885,