OUTSIDE THE LAW

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 59, 19 December 1940, Page 3

OUTSIDE THE LAW

THE PEOPLE OF ASHBURTON.

NOT PROTECTED BY LICENSING ACT.

MOVE TO OBTAIN HOTEL LICENCES.

CASE TO GO TO PARLIAMENT. “The inhabitants of the Ashburton district may be said to be living as ‘outlaws’ in so far as the general public are protected by the regulation of the liquor traffic afforded by the licensing law. Why should the inhabitants of Ashburton be compelled to live for years unprotected by the licensing law regulations which protect the rest of. His Majesty’s subjects in all other parts of the Dominion? These regulations are considered necessary for the protection of the public of New Zealand in general. Why should the inhabitants of the Ashburton district have to live outside this law?” This statement concludes a letter which has been sent to Mrs A. N. Grigg (acting for Captain A. N. Grigg, M.P., who is on active service) asking her to receive a deputation who wish to place> before her for sending on to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) a request to the House of Representatives that the licensing regulations should be altered by the passing of a section under the Finance Act so that licences may be .granted to County hotels which formerly held licences. Suffering ami Injustice. The letter says that the writers are suffering under an injustice and that a feeling- of dissatisfaction generally is felt in the Ashburton district at the present state of the law, which permits the sale of liquor for consumption in the district without the safeguards provided by the licensing system and without affording the means for the police to overlook the sale of liquor in the district.

It goes on to point out that agencies had been established in Ashburton for hotels licensed in Christchurch and elsewhere and there was no doubt that there were many others who traded, in liquor in Ashburton who did not even go through the formality of obtaining an agency for a licensed hotel. “The consequence is deplorable to the womenfolk of the district, who have to see their husbands and sons, consuming their means for the benefit of these unlicensed persons, who are making their living by means of this liquor traffic. If you will grant the deputation the opportunity of meeting you they will have no difficulty in convincing y°n of the truth of their asssertionsand of the deplorable state of the district.” Promises of Remedy. -The letter goes on to say that Ministers of the Crown had promised time •and again that the matter should be remedied but session after session had passed without anything being done. A similarly deplorable state must exist in other districts, and indeed a Minister had explained the inactivity of the Government by stating that the evil was Widespread. The letter states that what the writers cannot understand is that the Government while, recognising the evil should negleqt to put in force the very simple remedy, which would set the whole matter right. . Reference is made to a Court decision, which, the letter adds “misinterpreted Section 30 of the Licensing Act 1910,” and goes on to say that the limitation of the number of licences was contained only in this Section, whieh provided in order to stabilise the number that where a licence ‘has been forfeited or has not been renewed or has pt her wise ceased to exist,’ one new licence of the same description may be granted by the licensing committee. The writers’ solicitor had been informed by a former Prime Minister that an amendment of the law was not necessary as the law officers held that under the existing law fresh licences could be granted. Assurances of Sympathy.

After reviewing decisions in certain cases bearing on the question, the letter goes on to say that Ministers, although acknowledging that the matter was one that should be put right without delay, had jibbed over and over again in putting the section through. On many occasions Ministers had given assurances of their sympathy and had stated that sooner or later the necessary legislation would be passed. “Ministers evidently have less fear of tackling remedial legislation in respect of land, drainage than they have with regal'd to liquor legislation,” the letter coninues. “We can assure you that neither the Prime Minister nor the Minister of Justice can deny that they have been. fully informed of the wrong done to us by the judicial decision complained of and they have never attempted to question our complaint, or that they have not undertaken several times that legislation will be introduced to remedy the matter. Also that they have been supplied several times with a draft of the section we want passed and have never suggested-any alteration to it.”

Enclosed with the letter was a copy of the legislation that is suggested would cover tho .point at issue and which, if passed by tile House of Representatives, would clear up the difficulties.