SYDENHAM LICENSES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9760, 24 June 1892, Page 6

SYDENHAM LICENSES.

PUBLIC MEETING AT THE v ODDFELLOWS’ HALL. An announcement that a public meeting was to be held in the Oddfellows' Chambers • last evening to express sympathy; with the owners of licensed houses in Sydenham that had been deprived of their licenses by the Licensing Committee attracted an immense crowd, and as the accommodation was entirely inadequate to the number of persona who desired to be present. arrahgements were made for the use of the large Oddfellows’Hail for the meeting. By eight o’clock, when his Worship the Mayor took the chair, the hall wav densely' packed in every part. On the platform were a number of citizens, including Messrs John Oilivier, W. Langdown, L. Cohen, W. floban, J. Whitelaw, J. E. Coker, J. Barrett, M. Gard’ner, W. ActonAdama and M. Donnelly, besides several members ■ of the Licensed ■ Victuallers’;, Association. Mr J. Knott,.:, I Temperance' lecturer, was a prominent figure-' on the platform, and most of the active leaders, in the Prohibition movement were to be seen in different parts of the hall. ' The Mayor said that in accepting the position of Chairman of the‘meeting he did nos pledge himself to anything. Ha' presided because he considered it his duty to see justice doae to all parties, and ho was nob present as a sympathiser with the hotelkeepers or to defend "the action of the Sydenham Licensing Bench. (Hear, hear.) He asked them to give the speakers a fair hearing. The Secretary, Mr A. W.i Smith, read apologies for absence from Messrs. C. Clark, G. Bonnington, J. M. ■ Thompson and A. G. Howland, who expressed their sympathy with the meeting, and denounced as moat arbitrary the motion of the Sydenham Licensing Committee in closing all the hotels. Mr W. Hoban, in proposing the first motion, desired it to be understood that he did so as a resident of Sydenham, having its interests fully at heart. The motion was as follows ;—“That this meeting views with the deepest indignation and regret the unjust and arbitrary decision of the Sydenham Licensing Committee in closing the whole of the hotels ia Sjdsnhnm.” He had been urged not to take any part in the proceedings, but ho felt that it was tho duty of every man to protest against an act of injustice such as had been perpetrated by the Licensing Committee of Sydenham in closing all the hotels on the evidence the Committee had before it. Tho Committee had taken evidence, while all the time the members had their minds made up to close the houses. He reviewed the evidence given f-r and against tho three hotels, and asked the meeting if any of tho evidence given by the objectors to tho licenses would be received as such ia any court of law. The evidence in support of the licenses being granted was overwhelming'. It might be said that the poll had gone against the renewal of the licenses, bub that majority had' been obtained through the fact of■ a majority of. prohibitionists btiug ia the Sydenham Borough CouhciJ, whereby they were enabled to get a large number of bogus voters on the roll. Ho was prepared to show that ladies’ names had been put on. aud the election had been won by those votes, while, if the other side had succeeded in getting its voters on the roll the result would have been very, different. Ho ventured to say

that if the poll were repeated to-morrow tho result would bo reversed. He asserted that it was a gross injustice for persona who were gaining their livelihood honestly and under tho sanction of tho law of the land to ho turned out of ithat living at a moment's notice. Ho concluded by quoting Mr Justice Richmond's remark that though temperance was a holy cause, the cause of justice was still holier. Mr W.' Laugdown secondod tho motion. Mr T. E. Taylor seconded tho platform at, B.2f> p.m. and essayed to epeak, but was received with hoots unci groans.

The Mayor naked tho meeting to give Mr Taylor' n fair hearing, bub the uproar continued, Mr Olhvier uho pppealod, but without avail. Subsequently other gentlemen essayed to obtain a bearing for Mr Taylor, but "all to no purpose. At 8.138 tho Mayer said he would put Mr Hobau's motion,'but there was no abatement in the noise. By this time Messrs F. G. Smith, J. A. Caygill, V 7. Parkes and other gentlemen promiuot in the temperance cause had ascended the platform and assembled round the Mayor’s table, bub directly Mr Taylor opened his mouth to speak his voice was drowned in the uproar. Mr Ollivier, who was listened to, condemned the behaviour of tho interrupters as contrary to all sense of propriety or British fair play. After five minutes of further interruption Mr F. W. Peafold rose in the body of the hall and said ho was ashamed of the whole affair. He had come to the meeting as a sympathiser with the hotelkeepers, but ho asked was that a way to show sympathy or to see fair play. At five minutes past nine Mr Taylor gave way to Mr J. A. Caygill, who came forward aud said that he claimed an equal hearing to that given to Mr Hoban, as it was not often that lawyers favoured the public with speeches for nothing. He was not going to enter into the pros and cons of the question, as there was a proper tribunal where the action of the Licensing Committee could be determined. He therefore moved as an amendment—- “ That this meeting declines to express an opinion on this question, as ibis essentially one between the Sydenham Licensing Committee and tha people who elected them.” He contended that tho people of Christchurch had no more right to d:acues this question than had they in Auckland, and ho emphatically protested against a meeting in Christchurch dealing with their action. Mr Taylor succeeded in saying “-Mr Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, I second the amendment,” when his voice was again drowned by the uproar. Mr Hoban and other gentlemen again essayed to secure Mr Taylor a hearing, but all to no purpose. Mr Taylor then spoke direct to the reporters, the noise being, if anything, greater than it was before. The gist of what he said was as follows:—Mr Hoban had referred to the fact that the evidence was entirely in favour of the licenses, then what was the vote of the people worth ? Did that go for nothing with the Committee in framing its decision ? As for the bogus votes spoken of, he wished to know what they had to say about the thirty-two Gibbon street sections, many of the so-called owners of which did not know that they owned them, and he asked what would have been the case if the Sydenham roll had besn stuffed in that manner. His Honor, Mr Justice Denniston, it must be remembered, had spoken of the members of the Committee as honourable men, and he contended that they had acted in an honourable manner. He denied Mr Hoban’s assertion, that if the election were to ba held the following day it would bo reversed. Ha criticised the letters of apology received as those of partisans. The cries of the rights of property and the liberty of the subject had always been raised by the monopolists. The laws of Great Britain, America and those of this Colony declined to recognise any legal claim for compensation. The proposal to allow the decision of an elected Licensing Committee to be brought under review by the Supreme Court was equal to allowing nominated bodies to review the decision of tribunals elected by the people, thus placing the power of nomination above that of election.

The amendment had msanwhile been put to the vote, and was declared lost, and the motion carried. Mr John Oilivier then moved“ That this meeting considers it is the duty of Parliament to legislate immediately in the direction of protecting tho property of citizens who are carrying on a legitimate business under the sanction and direction of the laws of New Zealand, and of compensating them for the losses inflicted on them by an irresponsible tribunal.” During Mr Oilivier’a address on this motion the Rev L. M. Isitt arrived, and took a chair close to the Mayor. Mr M. Donnelly seconded the motion, r* The Rev L. M. Isitt rose to speak, and was met with a furious uproar. Though almost incessantly interrupted, however, he managed to make himself heard. He said that if they refused to hear him they would do their own cause no good. If there was anybody to blame for the Licensing Act it was the lawyers who made the Act,'and if those present were dissatisfied with it, he could assure them that he was also dissatisfied with' it. It was a year after it bad passed into law before it was discovered to be a Prohibition Act, andyet so soon as-they found that the people were with his side they discovered that it was not' a Prohibition Act. He was quite ai ready ' as they were to go to the people bn this question. The fact was, he very much doubted'if the liquor ring of this or any other city would bo at all in earnest in its efforts to have the Act amended, because if the people were asked about it- “they would ‘ give - a very decided vote in. favour of tho direct veto. He ’’ asked if' he had not been fair and straight in the matter. Had tho Committee held any hole and corner meetings ? He concluded by saying that his side would agree to meet its opponents and guarantee them a fair hearing, and he expressed his regret that there was not a sufficient sense of fair play in the present meeting to extend a fair hearing to him and those, wh&thoughfc with him. , The Mayor fchen'put'the motion, which he declared carried by a small majority. Mr B. Jones then moved—-“ That the Chairman be requested to forward tho foregoing resolutions to the Government and all members of Parliament.” The Licensing Committee was nob to blame for what it had done. It had been placed there pledged to carry out certain mcas ures, and had done so. Mr L. Cohen seconded the motion, which was carried. A vote of thanks to the Mayor, for presiding, moved by Mr Hoban, and seconded by Mr P. Burke, terminated the meeting. IPek Passes absodiatxoit.J DUNEDIN, June 23. At a meeting of the New Zealand Alliance resolutions were adopted to the effect—(l) That licensed victuallers had no claim to compensation on noa-roaewal of their licensee. (2) That the meeting strongly protests against the proclamation of a licensing district in the King Country, and affirms that to create facilities for obtaining intoxicating liquors In Native districts would be a national crime, and urges Govern meat to revoke the proclamation. (3) That the mode of‘choosing Licensing Committees by election is preferable to the nominated system, that the power of direct veto ■ at tuo ballot-box should be given by this session of Parliament, all adult residents to have the right to vote. Captain Jackson Barry contended that there was necessity - lor a good accommodation house in the King Country.