THE BRUCE LICENSING MUDDLE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11916, 10 June 1904, Page 6

THE BRUCE LICENSING MUDDLE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE rEESS. Sir, —Ifc seema to mc that you have hardly done justice to the central point of Mr Fraser'e explanation re the above. ' Your leader does not make it clear that the real reason of the refusal of licences i« eimply to force the hand of Parliament to give a new; poll ■or otherwise deal adequately with the situation. It is hardly likely that the committee would be- inclined' readily to eeoede from the present position unless there, was at least some assurance tliat there was a reasonable chance of a poll being taken in the near future that, would give a chance of a fair contest. Any poll taken under present, 'conditions would be the worst sort of a faipe. Sir Praeer, in hie explanation, is reported «s e»yin,g: "Th«y were entitled to use technicalities only co far ac before —that is, -temporarily—till Parliament givea -the proper remedy of a fresh poll," lliis is tiie crux of the position.—Yours, j etc.-, I Q. BERNARD NICHOLLS. i