THE ROLLS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 7

THE ROLLS.

' c NO-LICENSE LEAGUE AND LICENSED o VICTUALLERS. 3 LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER. n At a mooting of the Hutt Valley Licensed Victuallers, held on September 2, the following resolution was carried:— "That tho attention of the Prime Minister be drawn to the conviction of a Petone resident for a breach ol' the Electoral Act in signing a claim for enrolment, she being under twenty-one years q of age, and as the ■ canvassers for the 3 No-License League wcro responsible for 0 the claim for enrolment having been y. made, and as it is alleged that tliero are r a number of other persons in the electorate who have also signed enrolment claims under similar circumstanced, this association urges upon tho Prime Minister the necessity tor Departmental action being taken to ascertain tho fact, so as to prevent, the further development of these practices, which are intended to bo used as a means for roll-stuffing." To rebut tho charge contained in the foregoing, Mr. A. E. Atkinson, on behalf of .the Hutt No-L cense League, has forwarded the following lotter to tho Prime Minister: — _" Sir, —I have been instructed by the Hutt No-Licenso League to communicate with you with reference to the resolution passed by the Hutt Licensed Victuallers' Association on tho 2nd insfc., which contains reflections upon tho league of a highly offensive character. Your attention is directed by this resolution to tho recent ' conviction of a Petono resident for a breach of tho Electoral Act, she boing under twenty-one years of age', and you aro requested to take the necessary Departmental action ' so as to prevent the further development of these practices which aro intended to be used as a means for rollstuffing.' j "In tho first place, let me state that if ■ the Hutt Licensed Victuallers'. Association, , instead of couching these mendacious insinu- ' ations against an honourable body of men and women in language which is safe from its j generality, will come out into the open and mako a definite charge against any individual . or individuals, thoy will speedily bo given the opportunity of testing its .accuracy before a ! moro authoritative tribunal than a Departmental committee, to wit, in a Court of law. 1 Tho monibors of tho league most intimately 1 associated with tho case in question aro natu- ' rally anxious to clcar their characters in this 1 conclusive fashion, but I have been compelled, to advise them.that so long as the libel is ■ confined to its present vague terms, any individual taking action upon it would bo liable to defeat on technical grounds, which would 1 leavo tho merits untouched. If tho Hutt licensed victuallers desire to have tho matter fully investigated by the Supremo Court, let 1 them name tho member or members of the 1 longue whom they accuse of illegal or dishonourable practices, and the challengo will bo taken up without hesitation or delay. If thoir new-born virtue is not equal to this task, let them stand condemned in tho eyes of all bonourablomen. "As, however, it is safe to assunio that tho licensed victuallers of the Hutt district aro not going to abandon the notorious preference of tho trade for fighting under cover, the leaguo desires that for the information of yourself and tho public I' should briefly outline tho essential facts of tho case. As long ago as April last, Mr. T.Townsond, the secretary of tho Hutt No-Licenso League, ascertaining that Miss Carter, the defendant in tho caso in question, would come of ago before the date of the local option poll, informed her that sho vrouli? bo able to voto, and noted hor for enrolment at the proper time. In July Miss Carter was canvassed by Mr. Sussex, another member of the league, who had had no communication from Mr. Townscnd on the point, and was not aware of what had been already done. All tho questions prescribed by law were duly put by Mr. Sussex, but. believing that,.as sho would be of age in Octobor, she was entitled to bo enrolled, Miss Carter answered tho first question in the affirmative, and signed tho claim. "The error was without any excuso in law, but it was a very uatural one under tho circumstances, and it surely reflects no discredit on any momber of tho league. Mr. Sussex's statement was apparently accepted without question by tho Department, and Mr. Townsend's bona fides is completely vindicated by two facts, vix.:—(1) That the claim was never submitted or mentioned to him until after it had been received and acted upon by the Returning Officer; (2) that if he had'been willing to stoop to anything dishonourablo ho could have enrolled Miss Carter in April. Tho Department >:eems to have been originally informed that tho enrolment was at Mr. Townsend's instigation, but the-three months' intorval between the alleged instigation and tho offence conclusively "disposes of such a possibility. "Should, however, any lingering doubt remain in tho minds of tho league's accusers as to tho bona fides of any of its members in tho matter, their course, as I have said, is clear. Let them name tho culprit, formulate the charge, and leave the Supreme Court to pronounce upon its truth or falsehood. If this test is evaded, the public sense of fair play may be relied upon to see to it that secret slanders or vague public charges recoil upon the heads of those who indulgo in them, but dare not put their words to the proof.—l am, etc., "A. R. ATKINSON."