CORRESPONDENCE. [Our correspondence columns are impartially open to all, but we do not in any way identity ourselves with opinions expressed therein.] THE LICENSING LAW AND THE LICENSING BENCH OF COMMISSIONERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1387, 24 May 1881, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE. [Our correspondence columns are impartially open to all, but we do not in any way identity ourselves with opinions expressed therein.] THE LICENSING LAW AND THE LICENSING BENCH OF COMMISSIONERS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir. —The above subject suggested itself to me on a recent visit of mine to the Waikato. One afternoon I started rather late from Alexandra to go to Cambridge ; it got dark before I got within five miles of the latter place, but, as I had been over the road before, some twelve or thirteen years ago, I was not afraid of losing my way. In those days there was a public-house on the west side of the river, owned by Mr Ealph Simpson of canteen celebrity, and as my horse was rather tired, I determined to stop for the night at this house if I found it was still there. When, at last, I came to the spot, I found that the old house had been replaced by a new one. I dismounted, and ordered my horse to be fed and looked after for the night. I next entered the house and ordered some tea, and while that was preparing, I asked the landlord, as he tinned out to be, to bring me a glass of brandy and water. "I am sorry sir," he says, " but I cannot oblige you. You are a stranger to me, and not a member of the Club." I told him I did not know about any club, but as this was a public house, I meant to be served with what I asked for. He then explained to me that it was not a licensed house. That the old house I spoke of was removed more than ten years ago, as the greater part of the acre allotments on that side of the river had been deserted, but for the last three or four years things had been looking up again, and that quite recently he had built this new house and applied for a licence, but had been refused by the Commissioners on two different occasions, although complying with the Act in every paiticular. He had gone, he said, to great expence, nnd even got, into debt, getting everything a<» it hhuuld be, anrl on the last occasion of his being refused the licence, a number of gentlemen of the di&tricb formed themselves into a club, aim desired him to manage it tor them. At first he declined to entertain the proposition, but on further consideration accepted their proposals, as it was necessary that he should do something to keep himself and family fiom getting still farther into debt. I retired to rest that night gieatly interested in Mr Maddigan'o case, for during our convors'it'ou I learned hi* name. Next rnornmg while breakfast was pi eparing I had h t-troll along the main road, and got into conversation with a respectable looking settler. I asked him if he knew any particular reason why the license was refused to Mr Maddigan's house? "Well, I Sir," he says, " the reason the Commissioner- give is that certain settlers outside our township altogether, petitioned the Bench that a licensed house was not wanted this side the rivpr, and that it would be a gieat temptation for th^ir work people to spend their money in dtink. But we all know, that is not the tiue reason, as it is generally believed that many of those settlers had pledged themselves to the publicans on the East side the river to oppose the granting of this license. It is a gieat hardship for us poor people who have allotments here not to have any place of business amongst us, as no one htops to spend any money, but goes right across to the other side the river." "But why," l sujygestpd, "don't you and your neighbours petition the Licensing Commissioners to grant this license, that once obtained might be the means of encouraging storekeepers and various other tradespeople to settle down in the neighbourhood?" "Yes," he said, "there was such apetition got up, but all us poor people were distinctly made to understand that whoever of us would sign such petition would not get any more work in the district, and that settled the matter as far as we were concerned, for we could not get a living from the produce- of our acres alone. " Now, Mr Editor, this is clearly a case of the strong crushing and keeping down the weak. I am told there are between four and five hundred acre allotments in Cambridge West ; but while a few outside settlers have the power to keep business people out of the place, what good are those allotments to the owners ? They cannot sell them, and could not get a living by occupying them. These obstructionists say "we don't want a public-house on the west side. Oh, no, our friends are all on the east side ; we will patronise them and compel our work people to do so to." It is all nonsense, Mr Editor, to think that there would be greater inducements for their men to drink were such a license granted. I find that the nearest farm to Maddigan's house is about two miles, and the majority of the other fauns from four to ton miles, and the dfstance between Maddigan's and the nearest public-house on the other side, more than a mile, although it appears to be much less m a straight line. Now, no one can suppose that men working a distance of four miles from the east township would be induced to start on a drinking bout, because there was a pub a mile nearer on the west side. The chances are, if they weut at all, they would #o ri^hton wheie the most compauy could be found, as company has as much attraction to that class of men as diink has. Ido not know who the Commissioners are, but if they are thinking business men, as they aro sunposed to be, they will reconsider the whole matter. They can surely see that Mr vladdigan is forced into a false, and I may say datigprou3 position, and apparently setting the licensing law at defiance. In a weak moment he might be induced to serve drink to an iuformer, on such information being proved against him, would be liable to a heavy fine, and perhaps imprisonment if he had no means of paying, thereby losing his liberty and character at tho one time, and would practically be a ruined man, he would have to give up his house to someone who would most likely do the same as he did himself. It speaks well for the estimation in which Mr Maddigan is held by a large portion of the people of the diHtricfc, by their forming themselves into a club to give him a chance of earning 1 a livelihood. Hud the license been granted to his house in tb.B first place, it does not appear that there would have been any necessity of forming a olub at all. On going- to the East side of the river, I found there were four houses in possession of five licenses, and to a stranger like my- ' self this appears to be a very onesided affair altogether, to grant every license that is applied for to the one side, and refuse to grant any to the other side. lam entirely an uninterested party, but I must say that my sympathy is with'the' people on the west side, and trust that if ever I go that way again I can legally get served with a glass of brandy and water, although not a member of their club.-^ Yours, &c, ,ii, A Traveller.