THE LIQUOR LICENSES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10242, 3 September 1909, Page 4

THE LIQUOR LICENSES.

RELIEF FOR THE SMALL PUBLICAN. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] (Per. Press Association.) Received September 2, at 10.45 p.m. London, September 2. Mr Lloyd-George's proposed restrictions in connection with grocers' licenses iu Scotland and Ireland, cabled yesterday, is exciting great opposition and many communications are reaching private members. In the Committee stage of the Budget Mr Redmond moved to- exclude Ireland from the operations of the new licenses.

Mr Asquitk made a conciliatory reply. While," he said, the acceptance of such a sweeping amendment was out of . the question, he was prepared to go some way towards meeting Mr Redmond's views. The Government would reduce the minimum amount of the li-cense-duty payable in respect to public- • houses in areas with a given population in Ireland, as compared with publichouses iu areas of tne same population m England and Scotland. He would further propose a system of valuation iu Ireland. He promised to consider some concession to small brewers. jir Clancy thanked Mr Asquith, but intimated that the .Nationalists would reserve their judgment until the concessions took the form of amendments. Mr Balfour, in a spirited criticism',., said ho was unable to understand why a small publican or brewer in Ireland should D« treated differently to his brethren in England or Scotland. He suggested, amid Unionist cheers, that there had been a political bargain, and added: "After all, you may carry these bargain's too far, and may sacrifice too much." He supposed tins old bargain was so scandalous that the Government -J were forced to keep it quiet. He contended that the Committee privileges had been monstrously used. Received September 3, at 8.35 a.m. Louden, September 2. During the debate on Mr Redmond's motion, Mr Herbert Samuel accused Mr Balfour of using grossly exaggerated language, and added: -'After all the representatives of a people are not to be treated as of no account." Mr Austen Chamberlain said, "It lias come to this: there are 80 votes which the Government cannot afford to lose." The amendment was negatived by 200 ■ to 2G2. Received September 3, at 10.15 a.m. Melbourne, September 2. At the annual conference of the Victorian Alliance the report showed that Victoria's drink bill last year was £4,093,810, which was £263,991 less than the previous year.