THE LICENSING ELECTION BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10413, 10 April 1897, Page 4

THE LICENSING ELECTION BILL.

The very awkward position in whiclr the City Council finds itself with regard to the cost Of the poll for the election of a Licensing Committee for the city, is caueed by the wording of the 10th clause of the Alcoholic Liquors Siile Control Act, 1893, which eilacte l( All costs and expenses incident to the election of any Licensing Committee, or of taking a poll of electors under

this Act, and of the funeral administration of this Act, shall be paid by the local authority having jurisdiction throughout the district where the election or the poll takes place." We thiiiß it a gross wrong that Parliament should make elaborate regulations with regard to an election, and should enact that the cost shall be paid by the local body. That is taxation without representation with a vengeance. It may be said that the local body receives the license fens. It might just as easily be argued that the the Government should pay the cost of licensing fileotion, because they receive the Customs revenue from the spirits and beer. But is is quite cortain that no local body should be called to expend the money of the ratepayers on a matter respecting which they have no control. It is trile that the Council did not oppose this clause when the Bill was before the House, but the excuse for that is, that there is no use in opposing any provision which the Government presses upon the House, as the Government followers never take justice into account, nor the interests of the taxpayer. The local bodies throughout the colony should unite in endeavouring to have this proviso repealed. With all the arrangements respecting licenses they have now nothing whatever to do, and they should not be called upon to pay an officer whom they do not aepoint, mid over whose proceedings they have no control whatever. We say nothing about the Bill, or the charges made in it, but the Council have just cause of complaint at having to pay in such u case.