CURSED AND UNJUST.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 6, 2 August 1909, Page 3

CURSED AND UNJUST.

THE REDUCTION VOTE. AUCKLAND, July 27. A meeting of the Auckland licensed trade was hold this afternoon, at which a presentation of £IOUU was made to the late licensees of the hotels (five j in the city) closed on June 3U. Mr A. E. Glover, M.P., presided, and said he had advocated many years ago that a fund should be set aside and added to year by year with the object of properly reimbursing those who had been unfortunate enough to lose their means of livelihood. Mr J. S. Palmer, president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said these live respectable licensees were forced to close their licensed doors by reason of the carrying of that "cursed and unjust" Reduction vote. What had taken place was an example, and showed the rest of the trade that it could be loyal to itself. It was a question of organisation ; without that they could not hope to combat the attacks which were made upon them by their opponents. Looking at the question of Reduction, it seemed monstrous that they should be periodically robbed. They were deprived of their living, and almost of their very manhood. They practically got no notice when they were to close. Even under No-license they knew they had had to close down six months beforehand, but when Reduction was carried they only had about four weeks'