LICENSING LEGISLATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 270, 14 November 1910, Page 4

LICENSING LEGISLATION.

PARTIES FAIBIiT SATUTOD.

AN EQUITABM-LAW.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary HeptwU;

WiELLINGION,'&tar#,

It "would seem th>t the Gdvernaieill has succeeded in pleasing, to come; extent, (both the extreme parties m regard to the licensing legislation. ■ wiich few ; passed through the House'of Represen*. tatives. The Hey: John •.Ds-wson; secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, inter* viewed on the decljireii .ttot party <waß universally disappointed it the retention of the present toree-fifth* majority. "We shall not elsise< ixbm soday," 'he said, "to agitate for ..the tar* majority; in faofc; yre shall <be; t jßar» vigorous than ever. Wβ feel acutely the injury the people eUffet , in having to eiihmi tto *he ithree-flffctis nh'aJQrity. We are .pleased to learn, however, from members of the House that if they had not been 'bound toy election pledges, they, •would ihave reduced the majority this time. The separation of the- isiueS," continued Mr. Dawson, "has given us ,veryf great satisfaction. Without this the bill would not 'have teen acceptable to 11*' at all. Wβ are also glad ito note that some of the provisions of the ibUl will do away with evils and Senses no* existing, such as the locker-system, thft ibottle license, the beer depot and Wβ barmaid. In the interests of ihe women themselves we are sorry the bill did not go the whole length in '4A&. abolition of barmaids. It is a calling iii 'wWclk, no young woman should be allowed to serve. We are satisfied, top,, that the term of license after local no-license tos been .carried 'has been kept as it is, so that ithe no-license voter can see tne fruits of his labours on ithe fir|t of Julyi ■following the election. But I wish to emphasise this fact," concluded Mr. Dawson; "this Ibill does riot 'bring us *o oM goaL We wish Parliament apd the country (to realise that nothing short ol justice to electors on the. majority question will satisfy us." ■ "An equitable 'bill under the circumstances," Mr. John Beveridge, president of .the Wellington Licensed Victuallers Association described it; "an equitable bill generally favourable to the ot&er eide. They have done remarkably well in getting -what they, have (fot-Jtme separation of the isauee, the P~X 15,0 » in regard to restoration, 'the abolition ot barmaids, and other concessions. Wβ are pleased that *he reduction issue wa» stfuck out. It has generally (been, recarded as wron« and uiijiist in principle. We regard four years too short a perrod to elapse after Dominion no-license -oas been carried and before it cotoes into force. We think nine years would have been v fair minimum, both to permit readjustment in a trade employing a very large amount of capital, aid fc o give the Colonial Treasurer time to adapt bii finances (to meet *he loss of nearly -.a million of revenue. The gradua 1 abolition of barmaids," continued Mr. Bever idge, "will establish a monopoly in them. Suppose you have 1000 barmaids registered in Wellington when the Act comes into force. If they drop ont by marriage or otherwise ff «« »JJ. of 25 a year j-ou can see whait the staw of things will be in the last year. On the whole, we are content tojiccept «« ■bill as reasonably equitable."