WAIRAU LICENSED HOUSES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIX, Issue 133, 8 June 1906, Page 2

WAIRAU LICENSED HOUSES.

THE REBUILDING RESOLUTIONS. PUBLIC INDIGNATION MOVE- :. ... MENT. About twenty-five electors of the Wairau district resident in Blenheim attended a meeting in the Literary Institute last night called for the purpose of discussing the action of the Licensing Committee in ordering the re-building, of. certain houses, and. to arrange for a'large public meeting by way of protest. •■ Mr R. D. Martin, the convener, was voted to the chair,",, and Mr L. Griffiths acted as recorder 6t the minutes. The Chairman' said he had been prompted to take the present action, not from, any. interested motive, but purely from a conviction that the action of the Committee was unnecessarily harsh and tyrannous. Had the tenure of the licensed houses been a more secure one,, he would not ha-ve seen anything amiss in the resolutions of the Committee, but, as it was, they all knew-that at any succeeding local option poll i-eduction or no-Ticense might be carried. He had in no way approached or been approached by the publicans in the matter, but had acted as one of a large section of the temperance party who had voted for the Reform candidates, but who now considered those members had exceeded the mandate given them at the poll. He then traversed the Committee's decisions in respect to the three Picton hotels, which lie himself had also inspected. In many instances throughout the' district the Committee had, upon the occasion of .their visits, ordered repairs to be carried out. These had-been, effected in' most cases at considerable cost. (When the meeting day arrived, howeveiV the Committee had gone the length *;'of overlooking these instructions and? J6rdered wholesale rebuilding. He did not think their action was just. He moved: " That this meeting of citizens of Blenheim is of the opinion that the Reform Party of the Licensing Committee have exceeded the. wishes of the people who placed them there by tlleiij action in ordering the re-building.of ; thVnumber of hotels, and that a .Committee of four be ,appointed to wait; asaia deputation upon the Reform; Party arid request*, them to rescind the. motions until after the next General flection." He explained that: it \Vas': thought advisable to apprbaefi the C-ommittee in; this way firs,t 4^ and, .if/this-.istep proved- futile, a monster public meeting of indignation should be organised. " ! . : Mr RobtJ-Allan seconded the motion. He had worked liard in order to secti re the return %of? the Reform Party. but!had never anticipated such drastic^ urfjust action, as that party had. deliberately taken. V He was strongly against injustice a:n;d oppression in any shape or form. Mr Allan quoted one of the' poets to -the* effect that the tyrant and oppressor would in the end receive puriisliinent with compound interest.' ■' ■ S-V.-;'; V;;:; ■•.■■-_ ; »'. ■■■•; ..; ':

Mr J. X/ Vail • alsb spoke strongly in supporter" thVinqtiori. In putting-the motion, the Chairman .sai^ the^R^lorhi members of the Committee * were'njot) represeiitihg the p.eople ; who placed them in power. He had it on thie best'autliority"that they were dominated'by "%^ro small temperance > oi-Iganisatiorts^-the ;• ; Rechabites and Good Templars-T-which did hot include more than a'Very small fraction of thejwlioletempeHtice party.* : ■; :,, The motion was carried unanimously. The formation.',of v,a Committee to wait upon the TJicensing Committee was then proceeded-'with;' On the Chairman's motion*,.;the,.following were chosen: The Rev.fw. ,0. Robb, Messrs R. . AllaiiV WV7B: * I^rker, and the movers'"' ■';:-t ••■"-*•.■■■' ■' :>'!^ . ■:'■ •■:: ■"■

Mr Parker asked to be allowed to make his position' plain. He was always in favour>qf? prohibition, and would work for that, enti, Tvhich he believed would (duly arriVe. At the same time, he? was; strongly averse to the action of the Committee in, so drastically ordering new buildings. On the motion of Mr Griffiths, Mr Martin was elected Secretary to, the Committee.

:-.. A vote of thanks, to the Chairman concluded the proceedings. The Chairman subsequently explained that the name ,of the Rev. W. O. Robb, who was'iiot; present, had been used subject to his. consent. The rev. gentlehian has since disclaimed the positron in which he had been placed ', arid his -name has been withdrawn frotti the Committee accordingly. ■■,■-■■•■.