THE LICENSING BILL. [By Telegraph.] [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION] Christchurch, 27th August.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1894, Page 2

THE LICENSING BILL. [By Telegraph.] [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION] Christchurch, 27th August.

At a meeting of the representatives of the looal Prohibition League tho following resolutions were carried :— " That tho proposal to abolish the eleotive committees was retrogressive ; that the clause rendering tho Bupply of liquor to natives illegal shonld apply to the whole oolony, and not to the native districts alone ; that the power to grant olub licenses should not be veßted in the Colonial Secretary ; that licenses should not be issued to women ; that canvassing for orders for liquor in districts where Prohibition is carried Bhonld be made a penal offence ; that no packet licenses be issued to vessels trading exclusively in the colony ; that a uniform hour for dosing be adopted for the whole oolony ; that lioenaes should not bo limited to publicans' licensed ; that the vote on licensing questions should not be taken on the day of the general election ; that the local option poll should be taken every three years, on fixed dates ; that a poll on the distinct issue of colonial prohibition should be taken simultaneously with, but separately from, the looal option poll j that tho only issue to be submitted to the voters, should be license or no license ; that the majority of votes recordod ought to rule in licencing as in other matters ; that, if more than two issues of license or nq licence be submitted to the vote, the issue for whioh the largest number of votes is oast shonld be oarried ; that, in so far as the clauses relating to the regulation of trafHo vary from tho former legislation, they bear evidence of being chiefly drafted with a view to the consolidation of the power of the liquor traffic, and with a tendency to the establishment of licenses in perpetuity. DiTNEDiN,'27th August. At a meeting of theExeoutive of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars for the oolony, it was decided to strongly object to the new constitution of the Licensing Committees. - among the disadvantages being that nearly every publio office would be contested on the ljnes of The Trade v. Temperance. The djscontinuanoe R of the cumulative vote is declared a most illogical change. Another evil is the form of taking the vote. The power given to looal bodies to inorease the rates in event of the revenue suffering places the effort at reform at serious disadvantage. All fees should go to the' Public Account and all expenses be paid therefrom. The abolition of railway refreshment, New' Zealand wine, and bottle licenses was cordially approved of, also the simultaneous polls, and the reduction from one-half to one-fourtb, the coßt being charged to the Publio Account, and the arrangement for the cheok of votes by the Colonial Seoretary, and declaration of national Prohibition if there is a three-fifths majority. * i .

At a meeting of the Public Morals Committee of the Wesleyan Church— the Bey. W. Baumber (Chairman of the Wellington District) presiding— the Lioensing Bill wes generally approved, the following provisions being especially endorsed :— The abolition of bottle, New Zealand vine, and rail, way licenses ; the provision for a simultaneous local and national option poll, oovering all forms of license ; and the protection of localities where no licenses exist, by restrioting the power of removal of licenses. The meeting felt that thene provisions of the measure were thoroughly in accord with the last Conference resolution, whioh was as fol. lows :—": — " That this Conference, representing the members and adherents of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, being convinoed that the drink traffic is the causo of untold crime and misery, expresses the conviction that the time has now come when a determined effort should be made to absolutely abolish it, and urged all its members and adherents to vote 'No license ' at the coming licensing election."