The Licensing Law.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 696, 6 October 1909, Page 6

The Licensing Law.

SOME GLARING ANOMALIES. Some curious anomalies in the licensing laws are pointed out by Mr Joliffe, law draughtsman, in his '• Annotated Licensing Law," which ha just been comp led. He claims that city licensing districts are, according to the Licensing Act, those districts referred to in '• The City Single Electoiate-; Act, 1903." Since that year the Representation Commissioners have considerably alteied the boundaries notably in Wellington, where the new Suburbs seat has cut into several if the old e'ectorates but the curre- t iicensing law takes no notice of these altered boundaries. Therefore, it is impossible to take a valid poll in a city licensing district, as the sime existed on the coming into operation of this act —namely, " The City Single Elec toratts Act, 1903." Mr Joliffe also points out that owing to the changir g of boundaries the issue " that the number of licenses be increased" is virtu illy inoperative, as it is almost impossible to prove " that the population ot the district has increased by 25 per cent." Another fact that may develop into a serious irregularity at licensing elections is that persons employed in the election as scrutineers, clerks, or messengers, or from whom any committee room has been hired on behalf of a candidate, are debarred from voting. A list of these individu Is and their number on the roll, if they are electors, has to be deposited with the returning officer, who must submit a c >py to each deputy. If anyone on the list applies to vote, and receives a ballot paper, it shall be marked " Disqualified by employment." Unless this section of the "The Legislature Act, 1908," is carried out, it might lead to wholesale bribery, and Mr Joliffe reuiaiks that there appears to be no sufficient reason for its non-observance