THE LICENSING BILL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1158, 3 June 1870, Page 2

THE LICENSING BILL.

Sin,-— lfc is much to be regretted that the proposed Licensing Bill was not published at an earlier date, that the public might have had an opportunity of expressing their views on the same. To my mind it

is the most faulty Licensing Bill I have ever seen, evidently got up for the benefit of the publican instead of for the protection of the public. The bill contains no provision for the necessary convenience or the accommodation of travellers, bufc seems to look on the house as a mere drunhery. . 'No clause prohibiting drunkenness or gambling, or the harbouring of disorderly characters— and, from the wording of the bill, it is doubtful whether the' court dare refuse a license, to anyone who applies with the needful, three substantial householders, even though the house be a rapou shantyr I -find no mention is made of what is called bush license, so we maj hope -that . it is intended to abolish that curse to the country. The present law, (though broken), prohibits the. sale on. the whole of the Sabbath ; the new one only requires * the houses to -be closed for two hours on that day. We are told that country houses are licensed for the comfort of travellers; if so all country publicans should be obliged to provide suitable accommodation for man and beast, — safe yards for stock to be kept in at night, and quiet quarters for man, where they will not be disturbed by the drunken rows of 'those who are the favorite customers of the publican (as I know to my cost is often the case.) I think, sir, that in this enlightened day «ny new act should contain some provision for the wishes of the residents in the neighbourhood being known, i and the granting or withholding of licenses rest with them. I know many places in this island where no such license would be granted, if such was the case,' and seen where the Bench of Magistrates iave granted a license in spite of the protest of nine-tenths of the residents of We place. Sir, it is quite time this state of things waa altered, and that the people had some voice in the granting and withholding licenses. The last mail from home brings us word that the license question is now occupying the attention of the Home Government, and from what is in the papers it is evident that the Permissive principle will form a prominent part of the new act, and it is most likely that the entire closing of all licensed houses during the whole of the Sabbath, as in Scot'and, under the Forbes M'Kenzie Act, will be I the law of England. Apologising for the length of this letter, I am, <&c, John Harding. Mount Vernon, May 28, 1870.