THE LICENSING LAWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15025, 21 June 1912, Page 5

THE LICENSING LAWS.

AMENDMENTS URGED. TO MAKE THE LAW EFFECTIVE —"—" I DEPUTATION WAITS OX M.P.'S. With the object of drawing attention to what are considered to be defects in the Licensing Act a deputation of citizens interested - in. the temperance 'movement, waited on softie of the city members of Parliament at the Y.M.C.A. Rooms yesterday afternoon. The members of Parliament pVeeent were Messrs. A. Harris, J. S. Dickson, and A. E. Glover. Mr. H. N. Bagnall introduced the deputation, which included Mr. F. W. Greenwood (president of the Associated Churches of.Christ Committee), and Sir. W. D. Glaister, and others, representing a number of churches in Auckland. Ho said their idea in waiting on members was to urge them to exercise their influence to make the licensing laws more effective in tertain respects. • - ■> Mr. Greenwood said that the deputation desired to lay before the members of Parliament the question of the employment of barmaids, the supply of liquor to legal infants, • private bars, ' and the three-fifths majority, The law distinctly forbids the employment of unregistered barmaids, yet through a flaw in the Act the. publicans still employed women irk private bars, thus frustrating the law. The beet intelligence in tho world had decided against tho em ployment of women in bars, and ho urged tho members to have tho Act amended to render its provisions effective. He pointed out that prior to the general election the publicans had stated that they were not - ausioua to employ. barmaids. After the election they ignored their statement, and were employing -unregistered barmaids in spite of the fact that they were thereby frustrating the intention of the . Act. With respect to supplying legal infants with liquor he urged that the law should be made binding, so that liquor could not bo supplied to anyone under 21 either inside or outside an hotel. Ho trusted that members would take into their earnest consideration the importance of having the law made more effective. Mr. Bagnall said that an opportunity to make amendments in the licensing laws would probably be given in the approaching session. He urged that_ members should give their support to a 55 per cent, majority, instead of the thrce-fiftns majoMr. Harris: The deputation is not asking for the. bare majority? ' . . Mr. Greenwood: We are asking for the bare majority, and we will never'be satisfied until we get it. In the meantime a 55 per cent, majority will be a progressive movement that will lis welcomed. In answer to the questions put by the deputation, Mr. Glover said that he did not believe in depriving the barmaids of their living. At the samo time no young lady had a right to be employed without a certificate of registration. He was against the supplying of liquor to youths under 21, but he urged the deputation to educate the rising generation of to-day. With respect to the three-fifths majority, lie must be true and loyal to statement he made from the public platform. . < Mr. Harris expressed himself iia thoroughly in accord with the temperance platform. Mr. Dickson said ho' believed, in enforcing the law.' He did not believe in supplying youths with liquor either on or off the premises. The matter of private bars was being argued before the Supreme Court judges. He was pledged to the three-flfths majority, but could hot say whether aitfei a term in Parliament ho might' not tee reason to change his views. ■{ Mr. Bagnall read apologies for absence from Messrs. F. W. Lang, J. .Bollard, J, H. Bradney, and J. Payne. Mr. Bradney was in agreement with the deputation oil the question of barmaids, supplying youths and private bars, but was bound by election pledges to - support the three-fifths majoritv. Mr. Payne was in favour oi the abolition of private bars, and advocated the one-bar system, with a plateglass window, 12in. from the ground. The deputation thanked the members for their attendance, and the meeting closed.