THE LICENSING BILL.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 49, 27 August 1894, Page 3

THE LICENSING BILL.

? WHAT THE TEMPERANCE APOSTLE THINKS OF IT. IBt Telkqraph. I [ttnith) pbeßß association. | Auckland, This Dat. The Rev. L. M. Isitt, interviewed by the Star as to the Licensing Bill, said he is afraid the consolidating Bill was brought down with the intention of the whole thing being burked this session. Ho would have preferred a short amending Bill, including the removal of the half vote, the application of the people's vote to retail licenses of every description, inoluding o übs' Ao., the three • fifths being exchanged for a bare majority, Bmaller licensing districts, A simplified, form of voting papers, and any measure of redaction determined by the vote of the people being made compulsory upon the Licensing Committee. Asked as to the alteration reducing the half now neoeasary to make a valid poll to one-fourth, Mr. Isitt said this would not meet his objeotion, the prinoiple being vicious, and inevitably leading to roll-stuffing^ and corruption. His attention being directed to the resolution passed by the Alliance in Wellington in favour of the abolition of the question concerning a reduction of the number of licenses, Mr. Isitt thought it would have been better had thoJExecutive first conferred with .the Temperanoo Party throughout the colony regarding the clauses of the Bill in all their bearings. He objeoted to the cumulative vote, as it was an absurdity to make a man who voted for Prohibition, and failed to secure it, practically vote for the continuation of licenses as they were, and that, too, with an increase of the number of lioenses in accordance with the inorease of population in any district. Surely the greater includes the lesser, and it may be taken for granted that anyone who votes for Prohibition is in favour of a reduction of the number of licenses. Aaked his views on the proposal to cojint'the whole vote for national Prohibition, Mr. Isitt said — " Personally, Ido not like it. I cannot believe it is given in good faith, but rather in tho hope that hundreds who vote for the refusal ot all licenses in their own. district will not do so if their vote is to be counted for national Prohibition, and thus, while national Prohibition will not be obtained, we shall bo robbed of our chance of closing the publio houses in the various distriots. I believe in national Prohibition obtained by the deliberate vote of the people upon that issue alone." Further questioned, Mr. Isitt said ho strongly opposed the alteration in the composition of the committees, and was afraid by taking tho licensing poll on the day of the general election the temperance issuo was likely to bo confused among other questions.