THE LICENSING ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14460, 1 March 1909, Page 6

THE LICENSING ELECTION

Tho nominations of candidates for election to tho Licensing Committees for the various districts in Otago will close today. Tho members of the sitting committee—Messrs Wm. Burnett, .las. Small, H. Oust, James Arkle, and J. Braithwaite—have .all been nominated ,vit.li a. view to re-election.

11l th© courso of a manifesto referring to their past tenure of office the committee, slate:—We wero elected in 1906 to administer the Licensing Act as it was and is. This we did without fear or favour. We testify with pleasure that neither tho Prohibition iior flic Liquor party approached us in any way with a view' of 'influencing our action. Wo had to gee that tho licensees were men and women of pood repute, that the houses were well conducted, and that clean and adequate accommodation whs provided for tho public. Thoso wo scrupulously amended to, amd among other reforms we insisted-(1) That every hotel be amply provided with firo escapes. (2) TJiat hotel employees ho provided with dean and sufficient accommodation. (3) That hotels be closed promptly at 10 p.m. (4) \\ r e also insisted that 110 intoxicated person be supplied with liquor, and that women and youths be disrouraged from drinking in .hotel bars, (5) In fact, wo claim that wo faithfully carried out our pledgee, and did our bast, under the guidance of Mr H.. T. W-iddowson and the efficient assistance of the inwpctor of police and his staff, to generally improve mim-crs, Moreover, it is but fair to admit that as a rule, the liotelkcepers wero anxious to (second our efforts, (b) On various occasions we paid surprise visits, and after independent inquiry and mature consideration, eoriobom'cd by independent police inquiry, we deliberately 'declare that, considering the difficult nature of the liquor traffic," the trade as a whole in Diincdin district is well conducted.

We emphatically deplore tho evils of drunkenness, but foalKo" that under present conditions tho only neriiKma-nt cure is selfprohibition or ihtjiyidual, total abstinence. While readily agreeing to obey the mandate of the local option poll of November 17 last to still further reduce the number of hotels, wc will, if elected, bo guided in this matter by the lequiremetrts of the public, the character of tho licensee, and the public necessity or otherwise of certain holols. Further, we are strongly of opinion that Pc.rliame.nt should, as early as possible, enact tho -following measures:— '. 1. That no person under 21 years of age should be supplied with liquor. 2. That no females should ba supulied with liquor in hotel bars. 3. That 110 females should servo liquor in liotel bars.

We will, if elected, vigorously suppress (wherever the law will allow us) the pernicious practice of simnlying more boys with liquor. Wo emphatically repudiate the assertion that wc are in any way whatever the nominees of tho Liquor party.

Tit* No-license party in Dttnedin has organised a series of meetings for this woek in sup|x>rt of the candidates of its nominees. T;h-2 first of thesa meetings will be held at the Wakari Hall, Koelyn, tonight, and it will bo followed by similar meetings on successive evenings at the Alhambra Theatre, at, Momington, at Maori Hill, mitl at the North-Kant Ya.Uey. The candidates of the party will soeak <it ouch of these moating*, and, in addition. Mr H. D. Bedford will give a short address to-morrow evening, when M;r A. S. Adams will preside, in (.ho Alhambra Theatre.