THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1882. THE LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT ACT.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2634, 15 September 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1882. THE LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT ACT.

We have received a copy of the Licensing Act Amendment Act as passed by both Houses, and it will be of interest to examine it with a view of seeing which parts of the original Act it alters or amends. The new Act consists of 17 clauses, serving to assist in the smooth working of the Licensing Act in directions which have been suggested by experience. Sections 2 and 3 relate to the alteration, the abolishing or the amalgamation of districts. In the case of the alteration of a district, it is not to bo necessary to make new appointments therein, but the Licensing Committee and all officers duly acting in the district before the alteration, shall continue to do so in the redefined district. Amalgamation of two or more districts may be carried out when the majority of ratepayers in each such district petition for the operation. In such cases the Governor shall make the necessary appointments till the next period for the election of a Licensing Committee. No borough, however, or any part of it, can be amalgamated with any riding of a county or a road district. By section 5, tha Returning Officer for Committee elections is not to bo the Resident Magistrate, as heretofore, but “ the local

body having jurisdiction throughout any licensing district shall appoint the Returning Officer for such district, net provided by the Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876.” Where more than one local body has jurisdiction in any [ licensing district the Governor shall choose which body shall have the powers vested in it. All costs and expenses incident to the election of any Licensing Committee shall be paid by the said local body, and not, as has been the case, ont of the fees paid in the district for licenses. The place at which a licensing meeting is to be hold need not neoessarily be within the limits of the licensing district to which such meeting relates. The next provision of the new Bill forces local bodies to contribute, out of the funds accruing to it from the payment of licenses, towards the cost of administering the said Act, in proportion to the amount so received. Hitherto local bodies have held themselves able to pocket the proceeds without helping towards the payment of the necessary clerks, &o.—an eminently unsatisfactory arrangement. Sections 6,7, and 8 relate to the annual election of assessors for Native licensing districts, to which it i» not necessary here to allude. Section 9 is the most important one of the new Act, and as such we quote it in fall:—“ An extension of time for the sale of liquors until eleven o’clock at night may be granted by any Licensing Committee under the provisions of section 37 of the said Act (the Licensing Act, 1881) on payment by the licensee of an additional fee of five pounds for the same.” This new provision will no doubt relieve Committees very considerably in the exercise of their duties. At the same time it may bo pointed out that there is exhibited no intention of abolishing the principle on which the 37th clause of thfl original Act is founded, namely, that, ordinarily, ten o’clock shall be the hour for closing, and that extension shall only bo granted on the Committee being satisfied that it is for “ the benefit and convenience of the public.” It is very possible that Committees may seize on the new provision, with a view of escaping from a difficulty, and may grant eleven o’clock extensions in a broad-cast manner. If they do this, they most certainly will not be carrying out the wishes of tie Legislature. The new provision has been adopted solely to aid committees and not to relievo them of all responsibilities in the direction of choosing the houses to which shall be granted extensions of hours for selling liquors. Wo repeat —the principle of the Act remains the same, and that principle is that the hours for selling shall, on the whole, be curtailed. Section 11 provides that the local body shall appoint the presiding officer at the poll of ratepayers, as it is authorised to do in regard to the Returning Officer for the election of a Licensing Committee. All costs and expenses also incident to the taking of any poll of ratepayers shall be paid by the local body, and not out of the fees accruing to the licensing district from licensing fees as heretofore. By section 13,a1l persons applyingforarenewalof a license shall conform with the requirements of the Licensing Act, 1881, as if the application were for an original license, excepting as in the section mentioned, and excepting also that it shall not be necessary to advertise such applications in the newspapers. Section 14 applies to the granting of licenses in special districts, suchjaa mining districts, which are liable to sudden increases of population, and need not here be referred to. Neither is it necessary to allude to the 16th and 17th clauses. No doubt the new Act will bo a welcome addition to the Statute Book as lucubrating the wheels of the licensing machinery. It may be noted, however, that no power is yet given to Committees to grant extensions of hours of opening to hotels when dinners, &e., are held therein. This we presume was an oversight on the part of the framers of the Bill. MR. TWENTYMAN AND THE YOUNG MEN’S CLUB. The intention of the founders of the Yonng Men’s Club was, we imagine, to provide rational entertainment for youths who might otherwise fall into undesirable courses from the simple reason that time hung too heavily on their hands. A large number of clergy of all denominations took part in the movement, and it was generally understood that there was nothing sectarian about it. Mr. Twenty man, however, has endeavored to import a religious element into the affair. He apparently wishes rational amusement to be provided only for young men of his own way of thinking. Freethonght youths may go—well, not to mince matters —to the d—l, as fast as they like, perhaps to Mr. Twentyman’s thinking, the faster the better. Mr. Twentyman, from hia lofty moral elevation, refuses any longer to countenance tho Association. This is what we suppose he considers the doubly distilled essence of Christianity. Lu -klly the pul licat large and the n iaisters of the various deuomin itions are of another way of thinking, Mr. Twentyman should have lived in the good old days of Test Acts, &c. He might then have beau entrusted with the drawing up of a first-class oath as a condition of membership of the Association. Or perhaps ho thinks freethonght youths do not want amusement and are not likely to drift into publichonses. This would hardly be a compliment to the youths of his own way of thinking, bnt it is the most charitable way of taking his action in this matter.