LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14461, 2 March 1909, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEE ELECTION.

'i'lir. NOMINATION'S. The dab) for the closing of nominations for the various licensim; committee* expired a(" 5 p.m. yesterday. I-'or Ihe (.lty Committee 10 candidal.* bave been nom,-nuted-fiw reprwenhns 'he existing Moderate (ivmniiWco and five wing lm> nominees (>f I lie No-license party. )oi Dunodiii South eight candidates have been nominated, five of these being the 'ticket of tho Tempcvance Keform Council, the remaining lndividaul independents. The is a list of hose proposed, together Xjth tho names of the proposers:— CITY.' MODKR.WEif. •Joseph Brnillnvaite, Upper Jjfork place, pioposcd bv D. K. Thoomiu aitv! J- l.oudon. Jamci; Arkle, High street, prosed by .lames .lack and .James .Madid Henry Crust, .Montpelier, proposctKJ'.V • Jl'i)onald and Thomas B. l'airbairit» Jtmos Small, Albany street, proposed William tielcher and Mark Sinclair. William Btmiet.t, Jioyal terrace, proposed by Thomas W. Keniptliorne ami William T. Talboys. (The foregoing are tho prei-ent Licensing C'ommittoe).

Tkmpkhancb RKKOKJt CoDKCir. Nominees. William King, sen., (lladstone, North-East A'alley, proposed by llrnest C. Wood and ti. B. Nioholls. Uertraiwl Hdgar do surgeon, 1,4 London street, prop,ose<l by Alexander S. Adams and- tl. Ji. Nieiiolls. George Gaidar, North-East Valley, proposed by Alexander S. Adams and 0. B. Nieiiolls. John Arthur Wilkinson. Queen street, pro-, posed by Alexander S. Adams and G. B Nieholls. Samuel Charles Phiilips, Union street, proposed by Alexander S. Adams and ti. B. Nieholls.

DUNKDIX SOUTH. Temperance REi'or.M Council Nominees. Fdwud Aslin, High street, Musselburgh, pi'o}.u»d by Caroline B. Cooper and \V. F. Kempton. Thomas Fiddis, Oxford street, South Duncdin, by James Thomas and John Uilmoro. Robert Peter Hotting, Keid road, South DunC'din, proposed hy James Uoruell and J. 11. liiuton. Harry Albert Robertson, Cargill road, South Duuodin, propoied by .Samuel Bailey ami 7Eiug > h Bruce. ,1 jines Wright, Cargill road, Caversbam, [>ixipos?,i by Samuel liaiiey, Francis Oakley Shaddock, and Bryan M. King. IxoKi'Kxnr.xrs. Kdwa.rd Pudiiy, Helena street, South DunI'din, proposed by Torcnco Sheridan and John 11. Atldield. William Cunle, Oxford street, South Dun. cdin, proposed by William Fleming and William Selige. Siepheu Charles Boreham, Cargill road, Snuth Diuicdin, proposal by David Houston and John Baker. CHALMERS.

Although trifling interest, was displayed by the electors of Chalmers over the nominations of candidates yesterday, nominations for the forthcoming licensing elcoton came in freely during tile afternoon, and the following gentlemen were nominated bt'loro 5 p.m.: — David Alexander De Mans, Port Chalmers, photographer. James M'Coll Diction, Portobello, farmer. Alexander Donald, Seao.lif!', farmer. Robert Furrier. Anderson's Bay, gardener, Alexander JCilpatrick, Waitati, storekeeper. John Mill, Port Chalmers, stevedore. Alexander lioy, grocer. William Sutton, Port Chalmers, retired. Jo«iah Ward, Port Chalmers, Methodist clergyman. The number of nominations being in excess of ihe requirements of the net a poll will lie held on March 9 at the polling booths used for the general election. TAIKIU.

The'following gentlemen, nominated yesterday, will constitute the new Licensing Committee for TaieriW. J. Cathan, John Dicker, John Hay, ,1). T. Sliaml, David Sutherland.

There being only five nominations, an election will not be necessary.

TEMPERANCE REFORM CANDIDATE," AT KOSIA'X. The lirst of n series of meetings in eon* neetion with the forthcoming elections was held last evening in YV'ashsr's llall, Koslyn. There wore about 50 persons present, ario the Rev. j\'. A Davis occupied the chair. Apologies were made for tlB absence o. Dr (le Lsnloiu' ::nd Messrs Phillips aim King, candidates for election oil the Licensing Committee.

The Chairman sakl the meeting was one of a. nuinl>?r to be held for the purpose of recommending good and mie men foi return as a Licensing Committee. lie had been told by one of the candidates on the other side that the No-license party should not oppose the present committee,, as it had done good work. To that he replied that there had been a marked diminution in convictions foi' drunkenness when a Nolicense Committee was ill power, and it liael gonci up under the control of the socalled Meliorate Committee that luitl replaced the oilier committee. ' Arrests for drunkenness in 1901 numbered 657, but in 1905, the second year the No-li'cense Committee held office, the arrests went down to 534. ]ii 1007, under the "Moderate" Committee elected by the Liquor party, tho arrests for drunkenness were 654, and in 1908 the total readied the distressing fignro of 772. The whole of the cabs in the city had been hired on belialf of the trade for the purposes of the present election, and these were to ta used to seci-rc the return of the .'"Moderate" Committee. The candidates nominated by the No-lieense party would pledgo themselves to induce the number of licenses by a.? many as possible, and the other party intended to reduce it by as few as possible. -Mr Carson liad been quoted as the authority for the statement that notwithstanding reduction of licenses the consumption of liquor had increased, but to that he replied that if there had been no reduction of licenses it would be interesting to know liow much greater tho consumption would have been. The candidates nominated by the Nolicense party wore pledged not only to reduce 10 liquor licenses, but were also pledged to minimise other evils of the liquor trade by strictly administering the law. He wished it to be understood, in referring to the members of the present Licensing Committee, that ho only reforretl to them in regard to the position they had taken up on this question; irrespective of that they wcro estimable citizens for whom they all had every respect. Mr J. A. Wilkinson said lie wna proud to bo one of the extreme candidates on this question. Someone bad raid to him. " If you go in 10 gooil hotels will go out." As a member uf ;i previous committee he had assisted to havo the licensing law strictly enforced, and that had conduced to a diminution of drunkenness, as publicans always kept tho law when they knew someone was in authority to compel them to do so. The no-licenee candidates gave a pledge io reduce 10 licenses if returned; but Ihe other candidates gave no pledge that they would close any number at all. The no-license candidates did mot say what particular licenses would go oat, because they could not do so without knowing all the circumstances. Tilt? coinmi!ie<! of which he jvas a member eloftl the hotels one hour earlier than was the previous custom, ami they had also insisted on lire escapes being provided. The papers gave Ihe committee no t-rcdi; for lliese improvements- but the papers were never on the side of the reform the No-license party advouilcd. If drunkenness increased during Ihe period Ihe No-license Commitfee was in power, it would he the last time he would ask them to return liiin to a Licensing Commiilce

Mr G. CaWor said ho liatl a tooioiiillcr for 30 vrars, and had found that ir agreed villi him. They did not inteixl lo clop* any lioWs; they only intended to l-ak" piv.iv Hip lirc'ise? of 10 hotols out of 40 to sell liquor. Those who had conducted t!i?ir hc'ich wot I wruh! not - !x? interfered with. If Mi'. l present committee had done i.h" great work it tried to make the public Islievo il luul tloiio it -would not ho opposed; hut, as the chairman had shown, ■n-rcst? for drunkenness hod gone- up considerably during tlut remrailWs *i

cilice, ulieroas during the No-liconso t'ontmklee's term of <iflico ii had gone down very considerably. lie advised the public lo impose lo the utmost jniy attempi to have t lk; liquor traffic placed under SI ato control. If returned he promised (liat lie would do his utmost- lo reduce the liquor Ira Hie 10 the lowest ebb he could.

The Uev. I!. H. -M. Sutherland said be\J would vote for (h' 1 No-license t'oniniillee because it was jijcdyeil to reduce 10 on I ot il. - .- 'lO license-; in sell liquor, lie believed reduction reduced drii:l;ing and drunken- 1 ne*s and the other evils that attended in their train. He also intended to vote for it. because il would prove a terror to eviV '.loci-s. Ti woubl I li'is assist to reduce ■ drinking in other directions. Tile law never ill-.emiitil I ha: a license should I>e graiiiul nieredy for ihe .=alc of <1 rinlc alone. Unfortunately there were 100 many hotels \ in Uunc'diu that catered for drinking by young men, and as Diiuediu was so close 1 lo theni lie was sorry to say th:U some of the young men from Koslvii went to the city and lo these Imiiels. and lie hoped the new committee would give special attention to hotels where ii-oirt 30 to 50 young men regularly congregated. Ife knew Ihe liquor people would all vote for the present com■initiee. Iwcause they knew on which side I heir bread w.is buttered, ilo concluded by expressing the hope t liar at the end of another three jrears thev wivild have a eloau sweep made of the liquor.trafiic from Waitnlti to Iho JiliifT. Mr (i. li., Nicholh referred to the good elects in particular neighbourhoods of the closing of liquor licenses in those localities. If the present oommiitoe had not couie forward Iho Liquor party would have beffli in sore straits to get a. committee to stand 1 -, in'its interests. The Liquor party at last ejection hail canvasfved the whole of the city, and hail obtained a list of everyone who was in favour of the liquor traffic, and for (lie purposes of the. present election the trade hud engaged every cab in mincditi. Thus if came about that a committee of "Moderates'' was being supported trade money and trade influence, and m*'f. ?r such circumstances he failed to see present committer could be consideredV 11 independent committee. During' Jho evening some solos and duets were- suug"X v ladies present, and the pro- . c-eedings \veix\ closed by tho singing of the Notional Anther*.'- , . A publjc is to be held in the Alhambrrf Theatre tt'is evening, when addresses will be given, by prominent 710Vlicensa. advocates.

NOMINATIONS EL&3WHERE. (PibiJ United Press Ass^^tion',) AUCKLAND, 1. Fifteen caftivjdatcs lmvo been for the AueklafhJ City licensing elefc>nviz.: Messrs (J. AX!"") •J- Rces, Chcnl, M. Casey, an*.,A. Kosser, tlio reliving committee (Messrs'&• J- liagnall, 3. M. Menine, ,T. J. C. Soiners, and Dr I''. W. Ring), CitV". 1 ' 8 Loa ? uo ticket (Messrs J. Jamieson, (J. >v- Davics, W, .Richardson, J. Patterson, Mrs Emily Nichol). The old coimrcittKe ls being supported by the No-license .paWv> and it is understood that the trade wih-, support the Citizen's League ticket. WANGANUI, March 1. The retiring Licensing Committee was re-clectcd unopposed to-day. NEW PLYMOUTH, March 1.

An election for the Taranaki Licensing Committee has been avoided, only the roquisito nnmber being nominated. ELTIJAM, March 1.

The live candidates selected at a conference of the License and No-license parties have been returned unopposed for the Egmont Licensing Committee, thus avoiding the expense of a contast. CHIUSTCHUHCH, Mareb 1.

For the Christe.hurcli Liccnsis# Committee the only persons nominated were the nominees of the No-license party, and as only the required number were nominated there will be no election. For Avon, Riccarton. and Lvtt-olion there will be elections. ' ASH BURTON, March 1.

The following nominations have been received for the Licensing Committee for the Asbtmrlon electorate, which is under no-license:—Mesys F. R. Flatman, T. E. Upton, B. R. Mac Donald. F. K. Slubbs, F. 11. Choat. As there are only five nominations, a poll is not necessary. Although the electorate is under no-license a commiltee is required to administer the act until Juno 30, on account of six licensed houses existing in the Geraldine portion of the electorate, this having been added to Ashburlon by tlio boundary commissioners. GREYMOUTH. March 1. Messrs Bignell, llussell, Flynii, Kilgour, James, Seantlebury, Irving, and Mi Win were 10-dav nominated for the Licensing Commit tec.

(From Ouk Own* Corhesfos'dent.) OAMAIIU, Unroll 1. The Justice Department having dccidci! that. a Licensing Committee was essential in the district, despite the fact that the Waitaki will go dry from June next, the returning officer conformed with all the regulations and duly called for nominations. The local bodies, recognising that the election of a committee was entirely a matter of form, decided, with a view to obviating the expense of an election, to nominate certain of their own members 011 the understanding that if any outsiders were nominated these would retire. No others came forward, however, and the live nominees of the Borough and County Councils will be elected.