PACKET LICENSES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12937, 17 October 1907, Page 7

PACKET LICENSES.

• : ALLEGED ABUSES. MATTER TO bI£~"EFFECTIVELY DEALT WITH." (SPtCIM. TO "THE FRIES.") WELLINGTON*, October 16. The Premier was asked by Mr Wilford to-day—"Whether he is aware of the grave scandals occurring in connection with the packet license- system, or whether h e is further aware of the facilities afforded under tho law to unscrupulous persons to engage in the illicit selling of liquor in prohibited districts under such a system, and whether the scandalous breach of the spirit of the law in the 'Kia Ora , case p * not Ivarr ant t^le JJnmediato action or the Government in amending the law relating to packet licenses.' , T 1 * >2 * ,rier 'e reply was as followfi :— .1 havo received a great number of resolutions from various parts of the Dominion in reforenc© to the circumstances connected with the "Kia Ora" case, and the matter is one -which, in my opinion, calls for adjustment by legislation. I hope to bo able to havo the matter effectively dealt with this session. Mr Poole said that the answer -would liavo been more acceptable if it had been nioro definite. For a considerable time, he said, the packet licenses had been abused, and lately some glaring cases hafl occurred —those ot the Kia Ora and Kotiti being cases in IK>int. He referred io the oridenco given in the Kotiti case, and said that it was no wonder that the enlightened section of the community -was entering a most emphatic protest. He suggested that vessels that occupied less than three, or four days on a voyago should be debarred from selling liquor. Tho abolition of the packet licenses on small coastal vessels would bo in tho interests of both natives and Europeans, and of tho general public. -Mr Jennings said that it traa not only the small coastal boats that required to bo dealt with. Soma of the larger boats required attention in thi3 direction, and ho spoko of tho recent cas© of a passenger who.cloarrd out of a steamer through a porthole, tho cause, he alleged, Wing drink. Tho Premier said that it wue not proposed to introduce any licensing legislation this session. It was proposed to submit proposals by which it would bo ensured that tho method of packet licenses on board coastal vessels, particularly in regard to tho use of the permits, -where people- were prohibited, would bo 6topped, and stopped effectively. In regard to such unfortunate oases as that of the Kia Ora, he- said it ivas also intended to impose restrictions by -which tho serving of liquor tv officers and members of crews would, where necessary, bo prohibited in the interests of tho travelling public. Mr Field said that tho Kia Ora case was not the only unfortunate instance of tho kind they had had. A wreck had occurred on tho northern coast some thirteen years ago of % vessel, the captain of which was addicted to drink. This fact seemed to have been known, and yet tho man was allowed to retain chargo of the vessel. He thought that in all cases in which officers were known to be intemperate, they should be relieved of their posts.