BRITISH LICENSING BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6494, 14 April 1908, Page 9

BRITISH LICENSING BILL

iTrum On 1- Sor'd d rorrfnp»»i«lp»l.) I.OXIhIX, l-'ebniary i’«. ‘■r dare=r,\ till.; In ni-dit, or U.-u.r,r-cmv mornin', a, ; -1 n• iciest., I r; lrdl^i-e t-on*" ' Tim-, Mr Amnilb, v, ill. almost Mn only Mil.ln i.l nn inn..' tl.irlyIV till SI i' ■, eb , in introd'ieiny. 1),., l.icnn-.if.- IMI. 11, w»h n snio Int Of ’llf Mill In- * U-inell'lon., at ”1 I|v,m t!:tt vers nml tlm ! n ion i -it nrr.n, .‘s Mr A-.initl. set do ..h, Mr Maif.„,r ru-r mol -in ml idle Cover.ililt-:. I. propo-als :ih ‘‘robbery.” and V IC .-nionot papers fVH.ov I.;-. I. ml. </!•>•>- inn.-, in t ho Lil/o.al am divided. >!v soim- Libe-als Id.. Mill 1- weleomcd, v.hiie (.lho:v. t’"iir tied. if |jo.vsisio'l in it nil! wn-fk tin- party- ‘.Vhcibor Urn |,iitor section i.i nmiiermia it is ratlicr only to ->v. The Labour party ap-t-n .approve of 'he Mill. “Mold lied f-nf-rcncliinp:,'’ raid -Mr linnma.v .MacDonald, ’ npi.en.s ill its <goucr.il uuUin.ri satisfactory.” Mr I lorn tin Metl/inilcy (Liberal) made all !n.iii;h liv bold'iiiy; "1> a hirim roil of pajocr. ’ lid had extracted from the Joint, Stock iiccir.icr, he said, mures of ministers ..t relipyion tvlio In' inyo-.led tlieir ravines in licensed rod I,i«utv pi nticrtl,-:;. I tf-n(I it, read it,.” shouted members niiHf imvoiisly. ‘ 'rin-re are IXdl names and addresses, retoi led Mr Motion.ley. ' and if any lion, member wishe, l-o know the pomtiori m lu.s own {>;> r' ic'iiitr rl(‘i l)„. roll IS open to Ids inspection. ’ He .deelnred l.lnnt. llm Mill would wreck the In bora! party. ]•' \\ ;-inilli. hoin thu Unionist benches,’ liriylilcned (he debate. Libjus well vs Liniomsts Inughcu heartily as, indicating tlm .Ministers 'JII the’front bench, ho quoted Gray;—

Alas. regardless of their doom, Thi> little victims play! No sense haw they of ills to conus Nor cafe hcyuml to-day. The Tlill, if passed in its present form, will mbolih thirty thousand piibliclmiiscs, a third of Mm whole uuiclicr in Ihis mmilry. allow no compensation to license-holders after feuir(cen years; give Tncn'i veto on new licenses* extend the bona fide travelling distance on Sundays to six miles; mbjeet all clubs to inspection by plainrlothes onlice officers; restrict Sunday opening and otherwise make swcopilug chances in the licensing laws. On-licenses. beginnino at once, will bo gradually reduced by one-third — hv ;«or 33,000 out of the present tola! of 93,700. They will be reduced (roughly) to 1 in every 000-300 of people in towns find 1 in every 400-iSOO in the country. Tho present average for England is 1 per 370. After fourteen years no compensation will bo paid for a license which is taken away. Meantime compensation will bo paid nn tho basis of a sum sufficient to buy nn annuity for tho unoxpirod piart of twenty years, crpual to the annual value of tho license taken away, plus ft sum to the license-holder for the loss of business. Tile local authorities (tho Justices) are at once to prepare a scheme for the reduction of licenses in their district. A Central Licensing Commission will control the Compensation Fund, which is raised fas at present) by a levy on the “trade.” 'This Commission will revise and appiovo the lice,using Justices’ scheme of reduction. In large boroughs there will no longer be appeal from tho Justices to quarter sessions against refusal or renewal of licenses. By a. majority rote in a special poll in any district the inhabitants may for three years refuse any new licenses. The Justices may attach, as a condition of the license, restriction on Fmmlny opening, barmaids, admission of children, ami tho sale of drink on Election days. Outside London publichouspa on Sunday shall bo open only one hour at midday and two hours in tho evening. The _ bona. fide traveller must go six miles instead of throe as at present. Clubs must ho registered annually to allow objections to bo raised before tho Justices against their management. Police of superior grade in plain clothes shall have tho right of entering all clubs. . Ily n poll ft district in Wales may decide on oven a further reduction of licenses than the Bill decrees.