ABOUT A LICENSE.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 12, 13 July 1918, Page 11

ABOUT A LICENSE.

POLICE OPPOSITION.

(IT IELKOn.WH.—rnESS ASSOCIATION.)

OPOTIKI, 12th July. At an adjourned meeting of the Bay of Plenty Licensing Committee, yesterday an application was made by Mr. Jolm Peebles for an accommodation license at Taneatua. A letter froni the Bishop of Waiapu protesting against the granting of the Koense "on the ground that it would be a menace to the Urewera Natives was read 1. Mi, Elliott (for applicant) said he wa« now in a position to prove that there was a vacancy. Since the last meeting was held the Atianruri license had lapsed. air. Elliott called three witnesses, including a brother of the applicant, and the agent who collected, signatures in favour of the license. They stated that the accommodation was inadequate since the applicant had closed his boardinghouse. Under cross-examination they all said that they hoped the license would benefit business in the town. Mr. Mays (for the police) said that Rua's probation time would expire early in August, and it was a serious responsibility to grant a license five miles from his boundary. Taneatua was an important farming district, mainly dependent oii Native labour. The establishment of a license would make labour conditions chaotic. Constable Curiimings>, who has been stationed at Whakatane for eight years, strongly opposed the > granting of the license-th the public interests. He had had ho complaints of shortage of accommodation at Taneatua. Other evidence was heard. Inspector Sheehan, in charge pi the whole police district, informed the Court that it would be absolutely essential io station an experienced constable at Taneatua if the license xvere granted. After a' retirement of forty minutes the chairman announced that a majority of the committee had decided to grant the application. The four elected members voted for the application; and the chairman against it. At the. request of the committee, the chairman announced that the reasons of the majority, shortly, were the result of the last election, that the house .was required in the neighbourhood, and that the danger to the Natives had been exaggerated. Tho chairman's reasons against the license were—(l) The evidence did not. show the license to be required. (2) The evidence showed a boardinghouse without a license t6 be quite sufficient. (3) The menace to the Natives was roal, and his own experience showed the.. terrible havoc 1 wrought' by liquor amongst the Maoris, (i) There were already too many facilities ior the Natives to get liquor, and the proximity of Taneatua to Urewera would make matters worse. (5) The universal tendency to-day was to restrict the consumption of liquor duTmg the war (for example, 6 o'clock closing and the ariti-shouting law), and to grant the application would' traverse this principle. Moreover, it was obvious that the Atiamuri house did not pay, but the Taneatua licenso was being sought for because on the* increased- consumption of liquor it would pay. (6) In the face of the example of the world's leaders in abandoning the consumption of liquor he could not conscientiously support the prant of the application.