THE LICENSING BILL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8095, 24 September 1904, Page 2

THE LICENSING BILL.

The Government is to be congratulated on getting thfe Licensing Bill through. AH things considered, it is a remarkable performance. Admittedly the bill now is materially different to what it was when it was introduced. Nevertheless, in view [ of th« manifest difficulty of pleasing the various conflicting interests in the House, and the expressed dissatisfaction of all when the measure was brought forward, it says a good deal for the tact and force of the Premier that he should have got any bill through. A conference between Parliamentary representatives of various interests has greatly helped. On the whole the No-license party have had the best of the struggle, and have to a great extent moulded the measure according to their wishes. The no-license-no-liquor clauses have all gone, the proposal to eliminate the reduction issue from the ballot-paper has been thrown out, State control has been negatived, ttoa elective committee has been retained. All these ware demanded by the No-license party. On the other hand, a discretionary power has been given to Magistrates as to whether and in what circumstances they will order endorsement of licenses, and that is about the main thing the liquor party have secured. Another provision which will materially help the hotelkeeper is that customers who are I found on licensed premises during prohibited hours will be liable to punishment. Hitjuerto the whole of the risk of breach of the liwv has been thrown on the hotelkeeper. and the persons who have been inciting him to break the law by making it. difficult for him to refuse to serve them have had no liability to bear. The change should be salutary in many respects. As to the "King" County, the position now is that the Governor willhave power on petition from the native owners to proclaim any block of land a no-license area. Still further efforts arc made to restrict the supply of liquor to natives in settled districts, one of the provisions being a prohibition of supplies of drink to be consumed off the premises. This is especially designed to stop, or at any rate reduce, the purchase of liquor to be taken away and consumed at tangis. Maoris married to Europeans or half-castes living as Europeans are exempted from the operation of the clause. Further restrictions are put upon the sale of liquor to tfie young, and there are a number #if miscellaneous provisions, including those which bring chartered clubs under tthe licensing laws, and throw further difficulties in tho way of unchartered institutions. There are some slight amendments of the law relating to the position after licensing polls, but the principal changes to prevent such disputes as those which led to long and expensive litigation after last general election are to be made by bill yet to come up fpr detailed consideration. There are some things in the bill as amended which will be regretted as unwise and unjust by various ; persons according to their interests or , habits of thought, but on the whole there is a great deal of good in the bill, and if it have any appreciable effect in th» way of reducing the constant agitation on the liquor question tne time and pains spent by Parliament over the measure will not have been wasted.