LICENSING BILL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8095, 26 September 1904, Page 2

LICENSING BILL.

THE "LOCKER" «YSTEM.

Mr Seddon moved the following new clause : — Whereas certain practices exist by which associations or clubs, nob holding charters under the Licensing Acts, supply liquor to their members, or enable the membeprs to procure liquor on the premises of the association or club jtuider circumstances which may not constitute a sab in law, but which show that the liquor so supplied or secured is directly or indirectly paid for by subscription, levies, voluntary contributions, or other payments of iiioney from the "members generally, or the individual member to whoni the liquor is supplied, or who obtain it; and whereas all such practices are illegal evasions of the law relating to illicit sales of liquor : Be it therefore enacted that in every case where, on any premises used by or for the purposes of any association or club (howsoever formed or named), liquqr is supplied to or procured by a member or any other person under any such circumstances as aforesaid, such member or other person, and also every officer or other person managing or concerned in the management of the association or club, shall be severally liable to a tine of £5 : Provided that the conviction of any person under this section shall not relieve him from liability to punishment for any offence against any other provision of thp Licensing Acts. 'The mover said the daiise dealt with the evil of the "locker" system and the money-box system. It wpuld not be so severe as it appeared at fjrgt, because a number of clubs that had applied for charters had been informed by the Colonial Secretary that no charters could be granted until after the licensing question had been decided. They would now know what conditions they had to comply with on applying again for charters. The moneybox system was more vicious than the "locker" system, and ha hoped the committee would agree to the proposal. Mr Baume said they had had enough of this hysterical legislation. This proposal was an unwarrantable interference with the liberty of the subject. He could not understand how any sensible men could vote for it. It stopped bowling clubs and picnic parties from clubbing together and having liquor for a day's outing. Mr Seddon asked why one club which had a charter, and was under certain ronditions, should be subjected to the law when these associations which followed th,e *'lodker," system were under no supervision, and could' sell what they liked, with no law governing them. Mr A. L. D. Fraser : No sale takes place. Mr Duthie said the result of it all would be to make honest men lawbreakers. What harm was being done by the bowling clubs? They were not abusing the custom. These proposals could not be carried out when they became law because there were a whole army of spies. A certain amount of latitude must be allowed in a civilised community. All this law-making was injurious. Liberalism as personified in the Premier meant oppression'and policemen. The time. o£ the House was occupied' with jjettitogging, wretched, and miserable legislation that only tended to harass people- until the country would become not fit to live in. Mr T. Mackenzie said this clause was reducing legislation to, a larce. Mr. Seddpn replied that 95 per cent, of the members of the Ho.use knew that grave abusa existed ; in some places the licensing laws were a farce. He defied anyone to. interpret the 'clause to mean that it would interfere with any body of men desirous of having liquor, each in his own locker, as his * own private property. If he went into the lobby alone, he would stick to this clause, because he wished to stop illegal trading. What was the use of carrying no-license and reduction if they allowed a coach and four to be driven through their laws, by permitting these tmchartered institutions to carry on the illicit sale of liquor? The second reading of the clause was carried by 41 to 24, and the clause was inserted in the bill on the voices.

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