PROHIBITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIV, Issue 10787, 26 October 1895, Page 6

PROHIBITION.

THE SITUATION UNDER, THE NEW • • • LAW. The Rev E. Walker, of the New Zealand Alliance, who has been ip Wellington luring the parliamentary session, has mpplied the following statement to the Christchurch Prohibition League:— The question whether it was wise to pass 10 much of the Liquor Bill this session as che two Houses could agree upon, or reject r he measure until the whole could be passed, was determined in favour of the former course, principally by the following considerations Next session being the last if the present Parliament, and the Upper House being very little sensitive to public ipinion, it was considered by some to be at least likely that the near approach of the general election would be seized upon by he Council as a reason for rejecting the measure altogether, and throwing the whole question back upon the constituencies. In that case the next triennial licensing poll would be taken under the >ld defective Act before the new Parliament could meet, and it would be more Chan four years from now before a poll muld be taken under an improved law. It will still be possible during that time to leal by legislation with the question of clubs and of national option, thus in no way delaying the application of a national lotion law, while securing immediately he advantages of an improved local option law.

As the Council has excluded clubs from popular control, and they sometimes represent one of the worst forms of the drink traffic, it may be as well to demand that he question of club charters shall cease to be lawful. The moiety vote is retained where here is no contested parliamentary election. Notwithstanding that Ciutha is called a jrohibition district, the following forms of license have to the present time been lawful there, namely, wholesale, condiioual, packet, bottle. New Zealand wine and railway. "When Ciutha or any other district carries prohibition under the new law, no license of any description will be lawful within the district, and it is hardly likely at this time of day that any Government will have the hardihood under such conditions to grant a dub charter. No new club charter has been granted anywhere since the Act of 1893 was passed, notwithstanding several applications. la orohibitwn districts, under the new law the following new provisions also will obtain: It will be unlawful to sell any liquor therein 5 or to solicit or receive herein any order for liquor j or to send any liquor into the district, if there is reasonable ground for suspicion that it is wanted for sale therein; or to send any liquor therein without the package having i statement on it that it contains liquor, iny suspected package may be detained, and examined in the presence of witnesses by an inspector. The penalty for a breach of any of these provisions will be—For a first offence a fine not exceeding fifty oounds, and for any subsequent offence imprisonment for a term not exceeding -hree months, without the option of a fine. People in the district wanting liquor for private use will have to buy. it from outside the district, and a brewer within the district may only sell for delivery beyond the limits of the district.

The vote will be taken on general election days, which are usually in November, so that when prohibition is carried the trade will get nearly eight months’ notice to sell out before their new licenses expire in the following June. It will be remembered that at the last poll the ballot-paper asked three questions about each of three kinds' of licenses, making nine lines, of which six had to be struck out to record a valid vote. Under the new law three questions only are asked, coveting all descriptions of licensee, as to whether the existing number shall continue, or be reduced, or whether any licenses’ shall he granted. There are, therefore, v only three lines on the ballot-paper, and the voter may vote for any two of the throe proposals. If, therefore, the voter strikes out the top line only he thereby votes for both prohibition and reduction. Similarly if both continuance and reduction are carried, but not prohibition, reduction takes precedence of continuance. It requires a three-fifths vote to carry prohibition, and a three-fifths vote to reverse itj but a bare majority carries reduction. Seduction is to be from 5 to 25 par cent. Careful provision is made that the abuses and injustices which occurred at the last polling shall not be repeated. Liquorselling at Bellamy’s is subject to an open vote of the two Houses in the first month of each new Parliament. Special inspectors, other than the police, are to be appointed to enforce the provisions of the licensing laws, including, of course, the enforcement of prohibition, hue without relieving the police of their responsibility in the same matter. No new bottle licenses are to be granted, and the existing ones, of which there are about fifty-six in Otago, Westland, Nelson and Marlborough, are not to be renewed anywhere after the next licensing poll has been taken. From this date no new compacts or agreements creating tied houses are to be lawful. The Licensing Committee is to be elected in March, trieanially, as heretofore, the March after the

November poll; but no committee is tu be elected where a district carries prohibition!, because there will be nothing • fora pbair mitteeto do. The general election day is to be a half-holiday from noon', and liquor is not to be sold from • noon to 7 p.m. After May next licenses may sob b* removed to other premises ,more than * quarter of a mile away. What w chairman of a licensing committee could idq alone can now only be done by the,, chairman and two members. ' There are a few other alterations of the law, but these *hi cl minor importance.