"MORE LICENSING TROUBLES."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12800, 22 October 1903, Page 8

"MORE LICENSING TROUBLES."

TO THE EDITOH, Sip..—ln your telegraphic news from Wellington this morning, under tho caption "More- Licensing Troubles," thcro is a statement of what arc. called "unlooked-for developments" of the voided poll at Newtown. Permit tne to- say that the developments wore not unlookod for—that the law is perfectly clear, and that tho trouble in which the "trade" finds itself was one of the reasons for the Temperance party asking Parliament to validate tho local option poll. Had the poll b«m validated, as proposed by us, all tho difficulties suggested by the Post would have been overcome. The "trade" vigorously opposed the proposals of the Temperance party, and is now likely to suffer .'tho consequences of its foalifh opposition. It is quite true- that, the poll having been declared void, tho provisions of the act terminating leases do not apply, and that tho original lessee of each house, a3 well as the present assignee and occupier, are liable to pay the rents and perform the covenants in their leases to the end of Iheii respective forms. The intermediate assignees are not liable. The Temperance party have stated throughout that their proposals for validation were as much in the interests of tho "trade" as in their own interests, and the "trade" lias been very ill-advised to opposo them. They cannot now complain if they have to suffer the cousequonces of their own action in upsetting tho poll and refusing afterwards to set it right,—l am, etc., Dunedin, Oct. 20. Ai.ex. S. Adams.