LICENSING BILL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 54, 12 September 1928, Page 10

LICENSING BILL

EFFECT OF MEASURE SOME NEW PROVISIONS The Licensing Bill introduced into the House of Bepresentatives yesterday contains the previous proposal that licensing polls shall be taken at alternate General Elections, and also provides for a two-issue ballot paper and a 55 per cent, niajoritj' to" carry National Prohibition. The number of publicans' licenses applied for shall not be less than one to every 1500 electors in a licensing district, but the number of licenses in a former no-license district shall not exceed the number in force prior to the determination in favour of National Prohibition. "Where a district decides in favour of a restoration of licenses, licensing polls will, if the Bill is passed, bo taken in the ordinary way every six years. Special polls are to be taken in cases where changes have been made in electoral boundaries, the result to be determined on the bare majority principle. A poll, however, shall not be taken unless a petition is signed by at least 10 per cent, of the electors in the district. ' To meet the case o£ New Zealand wine growers, a new definition of "wine" provides that its strength shall not exceed 40 per cent, of proof spirit, and tho clause authorising New Zealand wine licenses is redrafted to enable, the holder to sell on the premises between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. any cider and perry, produce of New Zealand fruit, of a strength not exceeding 20 per cent, of proof spirit, and any wine of a kind which may bo lawfully manufactured by a licensed wine maker. Under tho main Act, if any complaint regarding a chartered club' is made, it may bo investigated by a Stipendiary Magistrate. If he reports that there was a broach of the licensing law which would involve in the case of an ordinary liconsoo the (indorsement of his license the charter of the club shall bo revoked. The present Bill gives discrotionary power to cancel' tho charter. The Bill adopts the clause agreed to by the House last year for the registration of barmon by the Police The discussion on this Bill in tho House of Eopresentatives last night is reported on page 8. )