NEW LICENSING BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19415, 25 August 1926, Page 12

NEW LICENSING BILL.

TlffiEE OK SIX YEAR POLLS. REFERENDUM OF VOTERS. QUESTION OF RESTORATION. BARE MAJORITY PROVIDED. [BY TELEGRAM. —SPECMTi REPORTER. ] ! ' WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The Licensing Amendment Bill introduced in the House of Representatives to-day provides for a referendum on the issue ."'of. three-year or six-year licensing polls. The "bill proposes that the referendum he taken simultaneously with the next" licensing poll which falls in 1928. The issues on the ballot paper are to he:' "I vote'that a licensing poll be taken once in three years," and "I'vote that a licencing poll ho taken once in six years,- 1 ' The result shall he determined by a .hare majority of the valid votes polled. If the six-year proposal is carried subsequent polls will be taken at alternate general elections instead of at all such elections as at present. Another clause in the biil provides that if national prohibition be carried national restoration shall he submitted to the electors every three or six years tnereaftct 1 , as the case may be. Ihe issues on the voting paper are io be: —"I vote for national restoration," arid "I vote against national restoration." The issue is to' be ,! determined by a baro majority of valid votes. . ' .Changes in Boundaries. Where, hv change in the boundary of an electoral, district, licensed premises rjre included in a no-license district and then reti-aneffcrred to a district where licences may be issued a special poll of the electors in the latter district may be taken at the first licensing poll thereafter to decide whether a'new licence shall or shall! not be issued in lespect of the premises. The decision is to be by a hare majority. If . the electors authorise the new licence the licensnig committee of the district must issue it at the next annual meeting if application is made, unless j«. its opinion, the premises fail to comply with the requirements of the Licensing Act. The licence is to be in addition to any other which the committee is empowered by the principal Act to authorise. The special poll may be taken only if not less than ten percent, of the electors of the district petition' the Governor-General to that efEect not later than Jui)B 30 in the year in which the licensing poll is to he taken. Conduct of Hotels. 'A further clause lays down that no voting.,paper used at any licensing poll bd rejected as informal if it clearly indicates the proposal for which the voter intended ,to vote. changes in the lav/ govern-, ing.'jtjjg, 1 conduct of hotels and the sale of, P r oppse<J. The right hitherfo- granted to chemists to sell pirjtVftus,' distilled, or femented liquors purposes? only and. under regulations made in that., behalf • is. to beJußskdcted to persons registered as pMMTfdeutißai chemists under ; the Pharmacy & definijtipn of; private bar is made for bar/Wlher'thiiu a public bar ahd including Vhy'part'of licensed premises which is or exclusively used for the or consumption of intoxicat--16 provided that the term bar in'preceding Acts is to be interpreted as to . either a public or a priyaW'ferV<Onloss the context limits its apifevery" licence granted or renewed in future -shall authorise the use of only one pu&ti'c-' may at the direction of thd' licensing committee authorise one or• more-private bars, the number to be cpecifiedrin;*the licence. N'cw' licensed premises in boroughs with, a population of 10,000 and over are to hav&f at least 20 rooms for public accentuation in addition to- those re- , quired for the use or occupation of the landlord or his family, or for the accommodation of servants. Licensees may be required to provide sufficient hot water services in 'connection, with bars and sufficient sanitary or other accommodation for ' the comfort or convenience of j gues'ts.- r< • ' Holders ot Wine Licenses. Holders of New Zealand wine licences ■ arotplaced, under the same obligations as hofeel.keepers, with regard to preserving order oa their premises. Seven days' notice'is to be given of intention to' Apply foi : ' i conditional licence. Inspectors are givfetf rights' of objection :to the issue?,oiiiaktch licences. imd no, l application may he-, dealt with unless, a police report upon it has been received. The sam|. ;|p|iieS;'"{6 renewals and to' grants and' Xfeh4\Vals of wholesale licences. The lattermade subject;, to provisions forapplying to retail licences, on the employment of womefi iii hurs are provided. It is laid dqtynHhj&'rib woman other than the wife, daughterf Mother, or sister of the licensee or aiwoman bona fide employed on the licensed, premises' with the approval for that v .pm'po'Se of the' licensing committee shall -bis employed in or about any bar during hoars when the premises are required to be closed. The women above referred, to, also housekeepers of widowed or Vnmat'Vied licensees, may be employed intbars'dufirig open hours. Thgsab-section of the principal Act permitting private societies or persons to hir^'rooms in hotels and control ddmission thereto independently of the licensee is repealed.

Unlawful Sale of Liquor. . The provisions relating to the unlawful safaiibf liquor are amplified to include keeping'/"liquor for sale without a licence, The provisions for forfeiture -of liquor are mado"''applicable to proclaimed areas. With regard to supplying young people with liquor,- all questions of apparent age are dispensed with by making it an uffencer for a licensee or other person to supply---liquor to anyone under the .'go of 21; save-that young persons living on licensed'premises may be supplied with • liquor by s or with the authority of thenparents or guardians. Any young person falsely representing himself as 21 years of. age or over is liable to a fine of £lo,' • Every licensee is to be deemed lo have permitted the acts or defaults of his servants or agents unless he can prove! that they were committed without his knowledge, connivance, or acquiescence arvd .that he took all reasonably practicable meastrfesHo prevent the commission of any such' offence. The regifter of barmaids is transferred from the .Secretary _ for Labour to the Commissioner of Police and it is made an offeike for' any unregistered woman to uervo in tt bar during open hours unless she. JS .otherwise entitled to do so. Every .licensee is required to keep a lodgers' register b°°k in a prescribed form and is liable to a penalty for failure to see that all names are correctly entered in it.,, Any .lodger or other person who..m»k ß K, a entry or causes it to ■%e