THE COMPENSATION BILL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4158, 8 July 1892, Page 3

THE COMPENSATION BILL.

Lost on the Voices,

In the House of Representatives yesterday, MrLawry, M.H.R, moved the second reading of the Compensation to Licensed Victuallers Bill, In doing so he said he had wired a copy of the Bill to all the local bodies in his electorate, and ns ho had received no reply from them lio concluded they were not opposed to it. Tho only messages he had received were from tho Recbftbites and lbs Womon's Suffrage Leaguo in Auckland, both of whom expressed disapproval of the Bill. In moving the Bill bo was simply carrying out a promise he had made on the hustings during his election contest. Mr Meredith opposed the Bill, which he considered, he said, inimical to tho best interests of tho peoplo of this country, Tho Bill laid down the principle of continuity of license,which was unwarrantable and unjustifiable, in support of which he quoted numerj ous authorities, Mr Buick opposed the principle of tho Bill, but said he thought ic would stand a muoh better clianco if the clause relating to local bodies was expunged, The control of the liquor traffic should be placed in the hands of the people, and he wished the Government would bring down a complete scheme of local option. Mr Fish supported the measure, and said he thought thoße opposed to it should support it, seeing that it was an inducement to licensing benches to Blrnt up houses which they might not otherwiso do without such inducement. The Premier agreed with the principle of compensation, which was admitted in 1877, and said he did not know that anything had occurred since then to alter people's opinions on the subject. Year after year it was under- | stood that licensees were entitled to renewals, unless they misconducted their house?, and it was only of late that licensing committees had taken an altered view of the matter, It would be fair to lay down the principle that houses licensed after this time should not be compensated for the loss of their license, but it would be unfair to close existing businesses without compensation. The House should not be intimidated by public meetings, which did not embrace the liberal feeling of the country, and they must also remember that forfeiture was often the outcome of personal spite. If this sort of property could be taken away with impunity, all kinds of property could be confiscated, Mr Dutbie said this was a large question, and must not be allowed to remain unsettled, He belonged to no particular section, but he did say the hotels were lowered in tone, and not sufficiently respectable for persons travelling from one place to another, That, however, was the effect of the intjmidating legislation of the past few years. Ho should move an amendment to the Bill affirming the opinion that the Bill should be withdrawn, and that the Government should bring in a Bill dealing with the whole liconsing question, The amendmdnt was seconded by the Hon. Mr Piolleston. Mr McLean opposed tho measure, 3iiyiDg ho objected to tho lessees and lessors having to pay more than they did at present, and he did not agree also with the local bodies having to pay. After a lengthy debate, the second reading was lost on tho voices, A division was then taken on the amendment, when it was lost by 27 to 22, The following is the division list Ayes.—Messrs Allen, Blake, Buckland, .Dawson, Duncan, Duthie, Fish, Fisher, Fraser, Harkness, G. Hutchison, W, Kolly, Lake, Lawry, T. Mackenzie, Mooro, Riohardson, Hollestoa, Russell, Swan, Taylor, Wright. Noes—Messrs Ballance, Buick, Cadman, Cameras, Carroll, Earnshaw, HallrJones, Hogg, Houston, Joyce, J, Kelly, J. Mo Kenzie, MoLean, Meredith, Newman, O'Conor, Palmer, Pinkerton, R, H. J, Reeves, Rhodes, Sandford, Saunders, Seddon, Shorn, Tanner, E, Thompson,