Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8555, 1 May 1891, Page 4

It is stated in a cable message to-day that the House of Cammons has, by a majority of 61, affirmed the principle of compensating publicans whose licenses are cancelled. This is not quite the same thing as having passed a measure for the purpose of giving compensation, though perhaps the vote may lead to that. Last year there was a considerable amount of discussion on the subject in the House of Commons. Mr. Goschen, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, proposed to give £350,000 derived from the new spirit duties, to local bodies to enable them to purchase licenses. It appeared for some time as if Mr. Goschen would be successful with his plan, although the extreme total abstinence party had been from the first against it. Lord Randolph Churchill had introduced a local option Bill, but gave way to the Government proposal. Mr, Gladstone, however, denounced the measure as a " publican's endowment Bill." Mr. T. W. Russell,, who is a temperance advocate, declared that he had came to the conclusion that the liquor traffic could not be dealt with except on a reasonable basis of compensation. But nothing was done after all, and the whole scheme was dropped. This year Mr. Goschen, in the Budget, made no proposals with regard to licenses, and made no remission of the increased spirit duties. Probably the question has been raised on some resolution connected with the Budget proposals.