NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1929. LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION

Northern Advocate, 5 March 1929, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1929. LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION

Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.

The Licensing Committee is the local body of which there is perhaps the least public notice shown, yet it is an important safeguard of many interests. The whole of the body is elective, except the chairman, and as on election is pending we propose to draw attention to the powers and functions of the committee. It is significant that an election has not been held in the Marsden electorate for the past six years, the number of nominations on the last occasion having been just sufficient for requirements. 1 It is provided that the Magistrate having jurisdiction in the district is the chairman ex-officio, and his colleagues consist of five other residents of the same locality, elected by those who are on the Parliamentary electoral roll. For obvious reasons, no brewer or dealer in liquor, or person who has any interest in licensed premises, may be elected a member of the committee; and the disqualification extends to all paid civil and municipal servants except tho Magistrate, The committee takes office for tjhree years, or until its successors are elected, and the poll is held on the second Tuesday in March in every third year. The Governor-General is empowered to fill casual vacancies which may occur through resignation, death or failure to reside permanently in the district, or even through absence from two consecutive meetings. It is to be noted that candidates for election are quite at liberty to express their views or give pledges as to the licensing law or the liquor traffic, and it is not unusual for the supporters of the pval parties concerned to nominate and elect a “ticket’’ in the committee. The committee meets at noon on one of the first ton days' of the months of March, June, September and December in each year for the purpose, of considering the applications for licenses, and renewals, transfers and removals thereof. The annual meeting is that held in June, and usually all meetings take place at the Courthouse and are open to the public. Matters to be dealt with must be advertised, and, except in case of illness, applicants must appear in person. Witnesses may be called by the committee, and generally in this way the utmost publicity is given to the proceedings, so that any person affected may be heard, and may, if sufficient grounds be shown, influence the committee’s decision. A further important function of the committee is to receive from the licensing inspectors for the district (usually the senior police officers) reports as to every licensed house in the district. These reports arc particularly as to the condition of the building and furniture and the manner in which each house has been conducted during tho past, twelve months. The inspector’s evidence is given on oath, in which case, in order to ensure justice to the licensee, ho may be cross-examined. Tho inspector also reports on any applications for new licenses, whale the

clerk of the committee advises whether the applicants have before been considered, and, if so, with what result. Great care is exorcised in the granting of new licenses, and a plan of the buildings must ibc produced. Both the applicant and the objectors, if any, may be represented by counsel, but the committee may receive any evidence it thinks fit, whether the same is strictly legal or no. The decisions of the committee are announced through the chairman, and the members are not permitted to comment on what ho may say, nor shall the decisions be questioned or reconsidered. It has been held that the functions of the committee are judicial in this nature, and the Supreme Court is very reluctant to interfere in any decision purporting ,to be reached after proper inquiry. The committee does invaluable work by carefully reviewing each license on its renewal and by exercising its disciplinary powers, and as the work is purely gratuitous (actual travelling expenses only being allowed to members), the committee forms yet another of those useful democratic bodies assisting in the management of public affairs. It behoves all electors to show r their appreciation and interest by recording their votes on March 12 in favour of those they consider most qualified to exercise the above and similar functions.