AUCKLAKD EAST ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 133, 7 June 1910, Page 2

AUCKLAKD EAST ELECTION.

• (To the Editor.) ' . kir,—Having Tegard to-the-fact that an : electbii for a member to represent the; district of Auckland East in will take place on Thursday, 16th iust., f it will perhaps be interesting for your! Teader.s to -learn what the position will be with regard to the Statutory half holiday, and fche sale of liquor in any licensed premises within the district in connection therewith. Section '123 subsec. 1 of "The .Legislature Act, 1908," provides: " That every day on which any -election takes place shall be deemed to be a public holiday after mid-day, and It shall not be lawful to sell intoxicating liquor .in any licensed .premises within the district between .the hours ol 12 o'clock! noon and seven in the evening."

Sub-sec. 2 reads: "Wltere -the -polling day at any election is other than that [ appointed as the •vwaekly half-itoliday under the "Shops and Offices Act, 1808," the provisions of the Act relating to the "weekly half j holiday shall be deemed to refer to the spoiling day in lieu of the day so -appointed, and it shall not be necessary far .any employer to observe the day so appointed in the week in -which the polling day falls." Xow, Sir, let us eeo what the effect of this will be bo ,far as the district, of Auckland East is concerned; one side of the whole of Queen-street,,«nd one side.of the whole ot Karangaba.pe-road are included in Auckland .East, the other sides of these two ithorougkfaares are included in Auckland Central. This means that -under the law the 'business rpremise -on one side of Kar-angabape-road and Queen-Street will re-' main open on ''Wednesday, 15th, all day,' and close on Thursday, 16th inst., At whilst on the other side of the same two thoroughfares, the -positions on Thursday, 16th, will be reversed. Then with regard to the hotels, those on Auckland East aide of KaTanghape-road and' Queen-street -be compelled under the law to xefrain from selling intoxicating liquors-.to .any person between the hours of 12 -o'clock noon, and seven o'clock in the evening,-whilst on €he other side ot the same -two thoroughfares the hotels: will remain open and conduct their busi-. ness as usual. ■

A peculiar feature attaching 'to the anomalous position is the fact that the " Licensing Act, 1908," itself, under sections .39 and -46, deals only with this aspect ..of the question so faT as -it refers to Licensing Polls and Licensing Commibt.ee Elections.

Arrv further comment from mc on the, absurd.and ridiculons position which will 1 .obviously .have to be faced next -week by reason such defective legislation, I consider at this juncture unnecessary and superfluous. It is, however, worthy of note that the .pliraseolor contained in section 123 of the "legislature Act, 1908," js by no means -perfest, and.tb.€o:efore,open to comment *nd criticism. —I am, eta, .J. S. PALMER-