THE LICENSING ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 8482, 6 April 1891, Page 1

THE LICENSING ELECTION.

The first election of a licensing committee under the provisions of the Triennial Licensing Committees Act, 18S9, takes place in Dunedin on the 17th Last., and the Committee then elected will bold office for a period of three years from that date. The measure was introduced by Mr Steward the Speaker in the present House—who has ever been energetic in effecting practical reforms, as witness his persevering efforts year after year to abolish plural voting in the election of school committees, efforts which eventually met with success. In moving the second reading the honorable gentleman explained that he had simply one object in view—namely, to do away with the unnecessary number of elections held under the Licensing Act as it stood, which not only gave a great deal of trouble, but cost in the aggregate a considerable sum of money, the expense having to be borne by the local authorities of the borough or district, as the case might be. Sir John Hall spoke strongly in support of the Bill, believing, he said, that proposed extension of the tenure of office by committees would have the result of more effectually carrying ont “ the original intension of the Licensing Act—to place the “ control of publicans’ licenses practically “ in the hands of the people of the district.” Elections year after year, he said, in the country especially, had the. effect, not of increasing the popular control, but of making it almost nil; few ratepayers interesting themselves so far as to vote, and the election being practically left to those whom the publicans and the Prohibitionist* respectively round up. The great argument, in our opinion, in favor of the nevf-|y«feem, is that it gives a continuance of admhuatration to the members of the committees, who will thus be enabled to carry ~out such wholesome reforms as they may deem desirable. The annual election left the committees almost powerless la the matter of regulating the accommodation and con-

dact o! licensed homes, since they had no security for being in office to take action in respect to the non-fulfilment of any conditions they might impose. Any member, ■gain, who made himself conspicuously motive one way or the other was pretty sure to be ousted at the next election j a dead set being made against him by one party or the other. Committees holding office for a term of three years will have substantial powers, ■nd be in a position to carry out the spirit and letter of the licensing laws with completeness. It need hardly be pointed ont that a serious responsibility lies upon the ratepayers in electing a triennial committee, and they should weigh well the consequences which may be involved. The poll is also to be taken at the same time and place under the “ local option” clauses of the Act of ISS2, and it will be for the ratepayers to determine whether licenses of any class may or may not be increased within the licensing district. Prom present indications it would appear that the choice in Dunedin will be limited to candidates to be nominated on the Prohibition ticket and the five gentlemen who collectively have addressed the ratepayers through the advertisement columns of the local Press. It is understood that the Prohibitionists, should they carry the day, are resolved to suppress the liquor traffic altogether, after giving twelve months^ notice to existing license-holders. There is, be yond doubt, the power to do this under section 75 of the Licensing Act, ISS2, which declares that “the Licensing Committee “ shall exercise their discretion in grant ing or “refusing any certificate for any desorip “tlon of license; and shall not be obliged to “ grant the same merely because the require- “ ments of the law as to accommodation or “personal fitness of the applicant are ful- “ filled, unless, in their opinion, there is a “necessity for the public-house or other “ establishment for the sale of intoxicating “liquors for which application is made,” It must be realised that the Committee, if they so please, can absolutely refuse to renew current licenses; and further, that under the law as it stands the present licensees would hare no claim to compensation—a point clearly established by recent decisions in the English courts. Ratepayers, therefore, who vote the Prohibition ticket, or abstain from recording their votes, should understand what they are doing, and what might possibly be the result of their acts of commission or omission. Until, we think, two years ago, the total abstinence party were content to advocate the extension of the priuciple cf local option to existing licenses, and allow the ratepayers at the triennial poll in each district to decide whether licenses should be renewed. Their avowed design now is to work through the licensing committees, and wherever they are able to elect candidates pledged to refuse to grant or renew any description of license. They would in fact use the machinery of the Licensing Act to render that Act altogether a nullity; it being a statute for regulating, not suppressing, the sale of intoxicating liquors. There can hardly be a question that the number of licensed houses in this City is altogether disproportionate to reasonable requirements. The business, as a natural consequence, is, in many instances, not a paying one, so that the trade itself would be benefited by the diminution of the licenses. A moiety of the ninety six public-houses might indeed be closed v. advantage, and the moral effect might perhaps bo appreciable. It is manifest, however, that the withdrawal of the licenses would injuriously affect the value of the property in every case, and the owners equitably would have a claim to compensation. They are carrying on a trade expressly authorised by the statute law, and recognised materially in the fiscal policy of the colony. It doe.r not accord with our sense of justice that their personal interests should be sacrificed for the public good without their receiving reasonable compensation. The “Moderate” candidates, as they are styled, at the ensuing election express themselves prepared to reduce the number of houses, provided that the Legislature provide some scheme of compensation; and they suggest that the ways and means for this purpose might be obtained by “an increase on the fees payable by the remaining licensees.” Tills docs not seem to be a very practical proposal, since the money annually required could hardly be estimated with any approach to accuracy, and there would require to be continual readjustments.