THE LICENSING BILL

Evening Star, Issue 12027, 27 October 1903, Page 1

THE LICENSING BILL

RESOLUTIONS IN PROTEST.

At a special meeting of the- Executives of tibe Council of lie Christian. Churches and of the United: Temperance Reform Council of Dtmedin, held last evening at the Choral Hall to consider the Licensing Acts Amendirxnfc Bill, it was resolved;—

1. That the Bill as a whole is framed in the interests of the licensees, and not of the people. 2. That the proposal to strike out the Reduction, vote is an uncalled-for and improper interference with the rights of the electors.

3. That the proposal to fine persons in possession of liquor in No-license districts is absurd, and intended only to bring Nolicense into -disrepute. Local Option is intended to stop the temptation to drink caused by the sale, of liquor, and not the possession of liquor by an individual for his own purposes. 4. The effect of the proposed Referendum as to the time between the polls -will be to enable the trade to retard reform in many districts, of the colony where the temperance sentiment is not fully aroused, and it ■will split up the colony into three-year and six-year districts, and so produce confusion. A catch vote may be obtained in any district and the first vote is made final, so that future electors are afrected. 5v The provision of section 11 that in altered districts no ch&age is to be made until after the second _potl following the alteration would practically destroy the whole value of Local Option. Every district in. the colony is liable to- ho altered At jQUBCfr -xesulfc-of"-

census. The provision would make lineal Option, a farce.

6. Section 14> to make mayors, etc, members of- ccannrittees, and to qualify brewers, publicans, and spirit merchants lot election as committeemen, would destroy the control of the electors through the elective members, and in many districts -would: place the -whole control of licenses in the hands of the trade; while the decision o£ questions of law by the chairman alone, a» proposed by the section, derogates from the rights of committees and might lead tot serious abases.

7. The right to extra, bars according:- to»size of house, given by section 16, is op-, posed to general opinion, and would lead to. a great increase of temptations to ■drink, audi consequently of drunkenness.

8. Section 35, which proposes to give an absolute right- of renewal for six years to licensees who since the Ist June last haw* executedTepairs, etc, onorderof is retrospective, unjust, and a serious interference with the public right of control.. If passed it would give a premium to licensees who had allowed their premises to falL into disrepair and decay, while under sympathetic conditions it might be used to extend the licenses of favorites. Under it no objection of any land could be made, andthe license must be renewed for six years, however bad the conduct of the house en licensee.

9. Section 35, -which repeals the section of the Act of 1835 under which non-voters are struck off the roll, together with the half-poll clause, wonld render the second pell under the Regulation of Local Elections Bill a nullity, since to make a valid poll would iu most cases require nearly three-fourths of the possible effective vote. 10. Section 56. dealing with native areas, is iniquitous. The election of a commission by the House is a mere sham, as Government nominees would be elected, and a packed commission would report in accord, anee with the known desire of the Premier. The proposed poll of Europeans would lx a gross injustice to the natives, and tin prohibition of sale to natives would be utterly valueless, as shown by acta.il e.v perimenb in the case of licensed houses near the area. The passing of such a ia» would place an indelible .stain upon ihe honor of the coionv.

11. Section 57, which gives to a "Mir.urier power to license houses for touristy, is an insidious attempt to placo liquor license? in the native areas against the will of ilia inhabitants. It offers an insult to tourists by requiring thera to obtain "tickets of leave," and, together with the proposals re native areas, is au attempt to brinir in State control of the liquor Lrainc, wliich has been almost universally condemned. 12. The definition of "elector" is unsatisfactory, and would not include til! persona entitled to vote Tinder the Elect oral .Amendment Bill. This would lead to confusion, and possibly avoid the polls. The combined Executives therefore members of the House of Representatives to throw out the Bill, and so prevent a £ravo public wrong. That copies of the. resolutions be sant to all meml>crs of both Houses of I'jjhamcnt and to the Alliance lisecutive.