THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1874

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1783, 23 April 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1874

The working of the new Licensing Act has already disclosed many serious imper. fections — we do not refer to the imperfections of the Licensing Courts, but the imperfections in the Act itself, which are the cause of great injustice. The Act was intended in the first instance to restrict the sale of intoxicating liquors, and in the next to ensure that public-houses should be held only by persons, of good repute, and that their houses were fit for the respectable accommodation of the public. The power.of restriction has been exercised in this town in pome instances on insufficient and in others no valid grounds whatever. The Act provides that on a petition o£ two-thirds of the inhabitants a public-house may be closed or a license refused, and the natural argument is, that as the Act is one to grant licenses they ought to be granted, unless there are strong reasons on public grounds why they should not. If a majority of residents in the neighborhood of a publichouse can close it, it is a fair inference that the Act intended that if an applicant could support his application by a memorial signed by the householders in his vicinity, and that his personal character and that of his house were good, a license should issue. But the Licensing Commissioners have acted in an arbitrary manner, and contrary to the spirit of the Act in this instance. Their ways are inscrutable, for licenses have been granted in this town which might properly have been refused, and others refused which might properly have been granted. We are, certain, from the working of the new system in Greymouth and Hokitika, that great dissatisfaction will have occurred throughout the Colony, and that a reaction will set in which will assuredly lead to the repeal of the present Act, and probably make it difficult to pass what is required — a sensible Act limiting the number of public-houses, ensuring good accommodation, and protection against the vile adulterations which are poisoning the people. Whatever shape the promised new Act may take, we will venture to offer at least one suggestion which, we think, would secure the end aimed at, and at the same time prevent the sacrifice of very important vested interests. We would propose that two classes of licenses should be issued— one for the house and another for "the occupier. If a house is found to be well-constructed, and that it provides proper accommodation for the public, let a license issue for that house according to conditions of suitability to be set forth in the Act. Then let a separate license be issued for the owner or occupier. If he is a person of good repute, and has generally conducted his business in a respectable manner, grant him a license in his individual capacity as a fit and proper person to be entrusted with the charge of a duly licensed house

An arrangement of this kind would have the effect of — Ist. Ensuring proper accommodation ; 2nd. Of making it impossible for an unfit man to obtain a license to deal in liquor ; and 3rd. It would secure the rights of property which are seriously jeopardised under the present Aci. As matters now stand, the actual owner of the best hotel in the Colony may have his property rendered valueless through the misconduct, death, or default of his tenant. For instance A is the owner of a particular building used as a hotel, he leases it to B for a term of years ; Bs lease expires, let us say, a month or two after the annual licensing day, and he refuses to renew it — what is the consequence ? A has to shut up his house for eight or nine months before the next licensing day, and in that time its connection is lost and its value destroyed. Or, take another case : — Suppose A let his house to O, who comes to him to all appearances as a respectable man, but turns out to be the contrary ; he can't turn him out, and he has the satisfaction of kuowing that his property is daily depreciating in value because he cannot 3ecure a transfer to a respectable person. Or suppose again that C is respectable, but dies or leaves the Colony shortly after his license has been granted, Ais still the sufferer. Now if the house was in the first place licensed as <i fit and proper place for public accommodation, and that a separate license, revocable in case of misconduct were given to the the persou to occupy the house, public morality would be benefited, while private interests would not suffer.