Licensing Committees.

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 30

Licensing Committees.

lam glad to see that so many l of the electorates have determined to contest the Licensing Committee elections, and to put in men who wiil encourage the police by insisting on a strict enforcement of the law. I believe that the traffic is lawless and law-defying in it 3 esssnee, but that we do less than our duly if we leave unpunished such breaches of the law as the sale of drink to ■cliildren and to drunkards, or the allowing of gambling, perhaps by young lads, on licensed premises. "* Respectable " the traffic can never be ; even the fear of death and the virtuous resolutions of publicans aud brewers seem powerles3 to lessen its deadly results; but nothing can excuse us from using all the pewer the lav gives us to protect the young and helpless. , " Promoted." We have again to mourn the loss of true friends, though we rejoice with them that they have entered upon higher service. Dunedin mourns the loss of Mrs Duke, who was always ready for good works, and Invercargill has sustained a heavy blow in the loss o£ Mrs E. B. Jones. Those who attended the'lf cllington Convention in 1901 will never forget the sweet, broadbrowed face and gentle | jnanner that made us all her lov«rs on the spot. It adds the touch of martyrdom to her end to know that her labours for the cause shortened her "brave, bright life. In Christchurch the Maori work has lost its devoted superintendent — Mrs J. R. "Webb, — but we know that her work will bring forth much fruit in days to come.