LICENSING LAWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11368, 10 May 1900, Page 5

LICENSING LAWS.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION.

By Telegraph— Association.—Copyright.

London, May 9. At the instance of Lord Salisbury the House of Lords rejected by '15 to 42 a resolution by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Temple) demanding legislation based on the recommendations common to the majority and minority reports drawn up by the recent Licensing Commission.

A Royal Commission was appointed, April 25, 1896, " to inquire into tho operation and administration of the laws relating to tho salo of intoxicating liquors, and to examine and report upon the proposals that may bo made for amending tho aforesaid laws in tho public interest, duo regard being had to the rights of individuals." Viscount Peel was appointed chairman. When the taking of cvidonce was concluded, in July, 1898, the Commissioners adjourned, and the ohiiirman drew up a draft report for discussion, in fivo parts, dealing with (1) England and Wales; (2) Scotland; (3) Ireland; (4) clubs, and (5) the reduction of licenses, compensation, local option, or prohibition, ami municipal management. Tho first Tour parts wore considered and approved by the Commissioners page by page; and a difference of opinion arose as to whether, since tho Commissioners were about equally divided on many points, and the paragraphs dealing with them wore carried by tho casting vote of tho chairman, a subsequent revision should bo made, but this the chairman did not se9 his way to allow. A majority of tho Commissioners wero also dissatisfied with the selections from the ovidonco of witnesses included in tho chairman's draft report, holding that it was difficult for any selection, howover judicially intended, to avoid tho appearance of bias. The result of this difference of opinion was that at a mooting of tho Commissioners on April 12, 1899, when part 5 of the draft report was to be considered, a proposal was mado to substitute an alternative draft for Lord Peel's, and to consider a series of altornativo drafts for the four sections already considered by the Commissioners. Lord Pool rofused to put these proposals, and loft the room. Sir Algernon Wept was elected to tho chair by tho Commissioners who remained ; and ultimately two main reports wero presented by the Commissioners, one section agreeing with Lord Peel, and the other, including the majority of the Commissioners, presenting a report that differed from his in many important respects. There were reservations to both reports. Dean Dickinson signed them both, because "on most important points they substantially agroo; ,and Ixteausd tho recommendations herein embodied fin tho majority report] represent at least a considerable advance in the direction of temperance reform." A valuable memorandum by Mr. Whittaker was appended, containing notes on direct local control, municipalisation, or tho Gothenburg system, compensation, popular control, drinking and drunkenness during the last 60 years; and statistics as to the health and mortality of thoso engaged in the liquor trade, tho consumption of intoxicants, etc.