MR FOX'S LOCAL OPTION BILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1341, 11 August 1877, Page 4

MR FOX'S LOCAL OPTION BILL.

(fbom otjb own oobrespondbnt.)

Wellington, August 2nu. Mr Pox's Local Option Bill consists of only 23 clauses. If defines every man and woman of the age of 21 to be an adult within any licensing district. Any 20 adult residents may, by writing, require the Chairman of the Licensing Bench to define a' sub-district, and .to take a vote under, the Act. The Chairman must forthwith define such sub-district, and fix a day for taking votes*. Every house licensed, or for which a license is applied for, . or renewal, or transfer, is to be deemed the centre of the subdistrict in which it is situated, ar.d if there are two or more houses in close proximity, the Chairman is to appoint some intermediate po:nt as the centre. Thearea of any sub-dis-trict in a Borough is to include all' bona fide. residents for one month within a radius of 100 yards from the centre. If in a country district, the radius is to be two miles. ■ On the day of voting^ a 'paper is to be delivered "at each residence' for each resident, who is to vote " yes" or "no " and sign the same. The voting papers arethento.be collected— the "yes" or "no." to be in relation to the introduction or not of the prohibitory clauses of the Act. The day after the vote, the Chairman is to declare the result in the 'newspapers. Penalties are imposed for fabricating votes, or disclosing votes. If the prohibitory clauses are adopted, 50 persons may, three years after, but not before, require a fresh vote to be taken. If the clauses are adopted, no license is to be granted within the sub-district, and any person selling, disposing of, or allowing to be sold or disposed of, any liquor within the sub-district is to be punished by not less than fourteen days' nor more than six months' imprisonment, without the option of a fine. ' Current licenses are to continue for their legal term. ■ /'All expenses of taking votes are to be paid out of license fees. - In any part of the licensing district not constituted a sub-district, and where no poll shall have been, taken, and in any district where a voie adverse to prohibition has been taken, any 20 persons resident within the prescribed dis- ' tanje may object to the issue or renewal of any particular license, and require the Chairman to take a vote in regard to the particular license in question. Medical praqtitipners are to be allowed to prescribe, and chemists to dispense, alcoholic liquors for' medical purposes. ' ' ' i ': M i. . -.; ./