THE LICENSING BILL.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 136, 13 June 1881, Page 2

THE LICENSING BILL.

The new Licensing Bill is now printed. It is a bulky document of 58 pages, containing no fewer than 229 clauses and eleven schedules, the last clause repealing all existing Acts, and the last schedule comprising a list of the Acts so repealed, these including one of tho Imperial Parliament (24 George 11. o 40), four of the Governors and Legislative Council of New Zealand, fourteen of the General Assembly, and thirty-two Provincial Otdinances. We have already iudicated the chief provisions of the Bill. It provides for the application of local option to applications for new licenses, but not to those already in force. No licensee is to have any beneficial interest, directly or indirectly, in more than one license. Licenses are divided into two classes, the first class including publicans', family hotel, club, bottle, Mew Zealand wine, and billiard-table licenses ; the second class comprising packet, wholesale, and conditional licenses. Under the club license, the licensee must be an officer of the club, and may only supply liquor to bond fide members and their guests. The New Zealand wine license authorises the sale, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., in quantities not exceeding two gallons to any one person, of wine, cider, and perry, the produce of fruit grown in the colony, the liquor to have a strength not exceeding 30 per cent, of proof spirit. New licenses (of the first class) are only to be granted at each annual meeting. Second-class licenses may be granted at any time. The following are proposed as the annual fees for the various licenses : — Publican's license within a borough, ; outside, .£3O ; club license, .£2O ; boit'e license, .£4O ; New Zealand wine license, J3l ; billiard-table license, .£10 ; packet license, .£10; wholesale license, JS10; conditional license, according to duration, not exceeding J230. There are elaborate provisions for registration of licensed premises ; as to the duiies and liabilities of licensees ; rendering debts for liquor non-recoverable, &c. No liquor of any description is to be supplied to persons of either sex who are apparently under the age of sixteen years, tho exception in last year's bill permitting bser to be supplied to children of 12 years being Btruck out. Inapection of licensed premises, clubs included, is duly provided for. Convictions for selling adulterated liquor are to be endorsed on the offender's license, placarded on his premises, and for a second offence to be advertised at hi 3 cost. The above are the principal features in this important bill.