THE LICENSING DISTRICTS

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6164, 7 February 1882, Page 2

THE LICENSING DISTRICTS

How is it that no steps have been taken to proclaim the elections of Licensing Committees in ITawke's Bay. In other parts of the colony, we see from advertisements in the papers, tho Returning Officers have fixed the day of election, and no time should be lost in doing the same for this provincial district. Subsection 4 of clause 13 of the Licensing Act provides that "As soon as conveniently may be after th<? constitution of a district under this Act the Returning Officer shall, by public advertisement, appoint some convenient day, and thereafter in the same month in every year, but not earlier than fourteen days after the first publication of such advertisement for the election of the required number of members of the Licensing Committee within such district." After the election the names of the candidates returned have to be published in the Government Gazette, so that, practically, at least three weeks must elapse between the notice of election and the sitting of the committee. Another part of the Act (clause 40) provides that the quarterly sitting day shall be within the first ten days of March. Now Mr Kenny, R.M., the Returning Officer for this district, is away at Auckland, and it is understood that he will not be back in Napier for at least a month. It will then be too late to provide for the election, and, so far as can be seen, he does not appear to have taken the necessary steps before his departure. If the election do not take place as provided by the Act, the Governor in Council has to appoint a committee, and that means taking away the privilege of "local option." It is evident that no time is to be lost. A telegram to Judge Kenny might bring the necessary authority from him, which would arrive next. Saturday or Sunday, by the Auckland steamer, and that appears to be the only means of rectifying what seems to be a serious oversight. A week's delay would drive it too late.

It may interest our readers to know that there are 379 licensing districts in the colony, and consequently that number of committees) to bo elected. As each committee has five members, that will give a total of 1595 persons to bo elected. Of the 379 districts, counties furnish 257, and boroughs 122. The North Island has 125 county districts, and 30 borough districts, the numbers in the South Island being 132 and 92 respectively. Of the borough districts no fewer than 62 are in Otago, or just about half the total number for the whole colony.