THE LICENSING ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 6

THE LICENSING ELECTION.

"FULL REDUOTION" TICKET.

ADDRESSES BY CANDIDATES.

The Ponsonby Hall was well filled last evening, when addresses were given by ' i Messrs. M. Casey, P.: E.;Cbeal,W.»J. : Roes, G. Aickin, and A. Rosser, who! comprise the ''full reduction" ticket for the City licensing election. Mr. C. H. Poole, M.P., presided. ,■■:■- ' The Chairman, in introducing the speakers, said that if they had the bare majority in force now they would not be fighting this fight—they would be wearing mourning for every saloon in Auckland. Mr;: Rees, • who was the first speaker, spoke in favour of the pledging of candidates!; Did the people think it would be a good thing to leave the licensing matters in the hands of a committee that were not pledgee? : ! (Voices "No.") ~' He apologised for delivering such • a short address as he had; an important engagement, but he could say that the committee of which he hoped to be a member .would do its. duty faithfully. v . . Mr. Cheal traced the history of; the licensing fight, stating that in 1900 the five respectable gentlemen who came out under the brewers' ticket : were beaten by the temperance party by 1200 votes. In 1906 they had the brewers with them, and this time they would have done the same only that reduction had been carried, and the question of closing some of the hotels had therefore cropped up. The speaker then mentioned the attitude of the v present Licensing Committee in refusing to grant a license * unless the lessee 'had ; a : three years' lease. Therefore he thought , that the hotel lessees . had a good deal to thank the Licensing Committee for. • The speaker criticised Dr. Bamford,.who he claimed had gone, out of his way to attack the present Licensing Committee.'; One of the main reasons why the present committee should; be re-elected was that they had bad nine; years' experience, and knew ; all about the hotels. , The present committee ; were simply pledged to carry out : the ■ expressed will of the people. ■-',•'

Mr. Casey said that the electors had a right to know how many hotels a committee would close. ■{.;=. As ;to the assertion of Dr. Bamford that the committee had practically selected the hotels they were going to close, he could say that he knew nothing about it. " ■;' /',-: . ~ ''" „■::

Mr. Aickin said he felt ; proud of haying been. connected with , the present committee; no one had ever impugned their decisions, and they had done their work well. He , criticised j the i statements ;of / Dr. Bamford in regard to the supposed selection of nouses for closing.' It would be exceed ■; ingly wrong and un-Eaglish if the committee ever I prejudged any case before 4 getting evidence on ; it. This : was what; the committee intended to do—to examine the evidence, and; act upon it. .He was, not a prohibitionist, but of the temperance paity he could say they were engaged in a work which would leave the world better for their efforts.: (Applause.) i Mr. Rosser ; said that the committee had been aV complex 'i one, but / the : concrete ■ form had been a very strong one, and : they ; were '; : unanimous on the ,question: of administering the licensing laws. He had pledged himself, and * his colleagues had pledged themselves, to ) carry out ; the I will; of the people, as expressed by the people last November. ; Thty had pledged them- 5 selves to the "full reduction" policy, but they/had: not pledged 'themselves "to take the licenses; away from any Jparti6ulir hotels. He ; knew of no list such as had i been referred /"to by . Dr.; Bamford. They, would 4 never declare their decision" until the * proper time—in i the open Court. A number of questions were asked, some' pf .them of a facetious and some of a personal nature, and sone question - was- as follows':—'.* Are you going to shut the two' hotels in Ponsonby— if .' so,; I ' will ; take one 4 for a- boot shop as a new industry No answer was returned. \ / \ i The ; Rev. ; Macaulay dwell: moved ■'■ a : hearty vote ;of thanks to the speakers, which was carried"; unanimously. * The ■ usual vote of ithanks to, the chair coneluded the meeting. * '• ; -.■■,..