THE NEW LICENSING BILL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 55, 30 June 1896, Page 2

THE NEW LICENSING BILL.

It is quite 011 the cards that when the new Licensing Bill—or amending Bill of the Liquors Sale Control Act—readies the Legislative Council, the same fate; will overtake it. Should this happen, we may point out that it will have the effect of arousing a very strong feeling in the constituencies. It will do more, for what now may be regarded as an antagonistic element in politics, opposed strongly to the present Government, will, by a very rapid process, become the supporters of that Government. Therefore the L pper House can do no better thing for Mr Seddon and his party that to reject the amending Bill. It may be pointed out that this new measure provides for the police control of clubs, Avhether these be of the working-men class or that known as " gentlemen's clubs." All of these private institutions are to be open to police supervision, and are to become amenable to many of the provisions of the licensing law. It may well be believed that members of these clubs in the Legislative Council and we may take it for granted that nineteen-twentietlis are members of private clubs—will stoutly resist what they will call an improper interference with the rights of citizens, and the violation of a privilege enjoyed for more years than any of them can count. We need not here stay to consider what the eflect the passing of such a law would have. All we have set ourselves to do at the present time is to consider the eflect the rejection of the measure will have upon a section of the community whose influence at the polls has grown tremendously. It would require a great deal of effort under ordinary circumstances to bring these people into line with Mr Seddon's party ; but if this additional legislation to which the present administration stands pledged is successfully piloted through the Lower House, only to receive its roup 'lf i/racc in the Legislative Council, there will be a rallying cry and a compact mass of votes given to the Government of the day. It will be interesting to watch the fate of the amending measure, first in its stormy passage through the House of Representatives, and the buffeting it will receive in the Legislative Council.