The Press. FRIDAY, JULY 3l, 1903. THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' DEPUTATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11649, 31 July 1903, Page 4

The Press. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1903. THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' DEPUTATION.

The largeness of tbe deputation which waited on the Premier from the licensed victuallers of the colony, and its representative character, are sufficient evidence of the strong feeling which animates those connected with the liquor trade at the present time, and from this point oi view,

no doubt, the deputation will exercise some influence in impressing upon members of the House the expediency as well as the justice of listening to the hotelkeepere' side in a conflict in which their very existence is threatened. We are bound to say, however, that the Premier, in his reply, showed a far truer perception of the state of public opinion on this subject, and of what is possible in the way of legislation than did the deputation. The latter in our •pinion committed an error of judgment in -king for some things which they must Know are impossible of attainment. It is absolutely certain that the House will not agree either to substitute national option for local option, or to pay compensation for businesses that are taken away. No doubt there is gross injustice done in instances where an owner is compelled by the licensing authorities to rebuild his only to find his license, as in the Ashburton case, immediately taken away from him by the carrying of local option. As a matter of public expediency, as well as of common justice to the individuals concerned, some provision ought to be made to meet such cases. If the House wiD not agree to the principle of compensation then it certainly ought to extend the period between the local option polls. 60 long as hotels continue in this colony it is to the advantage of the public that they should be commodious and well-built, and it is manifestly unfair to expect owners to sink a large sum of money in rebuilding hotels, or adding to them, if there is a probability of a great portion of the valoo of the investment being destroyed at Urn next {

licensing poll, within threo years at tbe nut.sidt'. Moreover, for tbe sake of tbe peace and good government of the colony we believe it is advisable that we should be relieved of the turmoil and ill-feeling engendered by a licensing poll every three years, preventing anything like a calm and dispassionate oon si deration of the wider political questions affecting th«* welfare of the colony. Another alteration in the law asked for by the deputation which we think might reasonably bo granted Ls the substitution of a Board of Stipendiary Magistrates for the present elective licensing committees. It is contrary to the spirit of the British constitution that judicial functions should be entrusted to a partisan body elected by popular vote during a time of political excitement. Such a body is bound to act according to its own prejudices, and not according to the merits of tbe case ■with which it has to deal, or the interest of tbe public at large. A striking illustration of the truth of this contention wa* adduced by the Premier, who stated that the Dunedin Licensing Committee, in giving effect to a reduction vote at the recent poll, closed a number of hotels where the accommodation for the public was good, while places were kept open which were nothing else but drinking bars, the interpretation being that the Committee were leaving the drinking bars because they would be the more easy to clwe on another occasion. If this is a correct statement of tbe facts there is no doubt that the Committee grossly abused their position, showing an entire disregard both of the equity of the case and of the interests of the public. No one can conceive of a Stipendiary Magistrate, or a Bench of Magistrate- acting in such a way. At the «ame time, we feel bound to add that we do not think Parliament will sanction the substitution of Magistrates for the licensing committees, unless the Magistrates are placed on a more independent footing than they are at present. There is no doubt that, apart from the licensing question, they ought to be appointed for life, so as to be independent of the Government of the day, and they ought to be more fairly paid than they are at present. We are glad to «cc that tha Premier realises the necessity of reforms intended to bring about a more Ht-ingent -dmmistratdon of the law. To our minds it -hows an extraordinary want of judgment and of regard for their own interest- that the licenml victuall-irs themselves do not grasp tbe importance of taking come steps which shall keep the conduct of the trade up to a high standard, and prevent the occurrence of tihose scandals which have done bo much to help on the no-license movement. They do not seem to realise that it is tlie rising tide of public opinion which they have to face, and even if they succeeded in getting amendments in the law which they believe to be to their advantag*, it would aTOil them nothing .if they continued to alienate the moderate vote at the -cmang polls, instead of getting it on their side. The only Tray to secure the support and sympathy of the moderate party is to remove all reasonable ground of complain- as to the manner in which hote_i are conducted. We fully believe that a large proportion of hotedkeepers are anxious to do what is right, and that there is no fair ground ot oomplaint as to the manner in which they conduct their business. These men ought to be protected from less ecnrpulous members of the trade. It is for the sake of the respectable publicans, as well as in the interest- of the p_bKc that we think the law as to serving drunken men amd so forth should be made more stringent. The appointment of inspeotora, as .suggested by the Premier, might .be a good thing, and we certainly think some provision should be introduoed by which an hotelkeeper who had shown himself unfit to hold a licence should be disqualified by law from doing so. In the intere-rts of all parties, we hope that the Government Bill, when it is brought down, will be no one-eided measure, but that while removing amy injustice under which either the elector- or tfce hotelkcepers and owners may suffer, it will contain provisions for the prevention of drunkenness and the more stringent regulation of the trade. We cannot too strongly repeat that the exastence of the present licensing system in New Zealand is at stake, and it can only be saved by freeing if- from all reo.sonable grounds of oomplaiiTt and reproach.