THE NEW LICENSING BILL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 966, 3 December 1879, Page 2

THE NEW LICENSING BILL.

The following are the principal suggestions submitted by the delegates of the various Licensed Victuallers' Associations for the purpose of being embodied m the Licensing Bill to repeal all the existing Acts : — Licensing Courts to be appointed by the Governor, and to consist of not more than seven nor fewer than three, who shall hold office for two years. The Governor shall proclaim licensing districts. No brewer or dealer m alcholic liquors or m partnership with such person shall be qualified to be a member of a Licensing Bench. All present Licensing Courts to continue m operation till constitution of Courts under this Act. The quorum of Licensing Court to be fixed by the Governor. Any unlicensed persons selling liquor to be liable to a penalty of not less than £25 nor more than £50. The wholesale and brewery license shall enable holders to sell spirituous liquors m not less than five gallons, to be consumed off the premises. Conditional license means one applied for outside any city or borough. Packet licenses may be granted to masters of vessels. Wholesale, brewers', and packet licenses may be issued by the Mayor or chairman of any city council, borough, or county at any time. Licensing meetings to be held quarterly. Notice of application for license to be given at least 21 days before the day of meeting. Notice of Annual Licensing Court to be advertised three times m a local paper one month before meeting. Licensing Courts may exercise discretion m granting or refusing license. No license to be granted if opposed by two-thirds of the ratepayers m the neighbourhood, but the Court may demand security from petitioners. Owners or others beneficially interested m a house losing its license to be compensated, the amount being at the discretion of the Court, and paid out of the Consolidated Fund and local revenue respectively. Personal attendance not necessary to procure renewal of license. All licenses, except wholesale, brewers', and packet licenses, may be transferred. Purchasers of licensed premises may obtain temporary transfer ' of licenses. Licenses may be transferred to other premises. Business may be carried on by executors m certain cases. Chairmen of Licensing Courts may grant an extension of licenses for races, &c. Persons giving false evidence before Licensing Courts to be guilty of perjury. Government may, if necessary, proclaim special licensing districts on goldfields and outlying districts. Contracts made with girls to dance m places where alcoholic liquors are sold to be void. Barmaids shall not be employed m the bar more than 10 hours out of the 24. Refreshment licenses at railway stations may be granted. Publicans need not keep a light burning outside all night except where no publio lamp is kept burning m the street. Clubs to pay registration fee of £50 per annum, and not to allow any liquor to be taken off the ,• premises, under a penalty of £5 for each offence ; persons selling without a, license to be fined £20, and all liquors fdund on the premises to be forfeited. Any person offering for sale adulterated liquor to be liable to a penalty of not less than £10 nor more than £50 ; the

liquor to be open to seizure, and any J.P. may order it to be analysed at the expense of the person convicted of the offence. No person holding a license under this Act shall sell or allow liquor to be drunk on his premises except between the hours of six m the morning and ten at night on any working day, or one p.m. and three p.m. on Sunday, Christmas Day, or Good Friday ; but commissioners may issue 12 o'clock licenses upon payment of an exra fee of £10, and all-night licenses upon payment of a further additional £10. Bona fide lodgers and travellers to be supplied vrith liquor at all reasonable times. A Texas editor thus describes a recent episode : ' Jim King took some slight offence at a few casual remarks which appeared m the Herald last week, and endeavoured to emphasize his displeasure by shoving a revolver m our face. Our revolver was the larger and on hand first, so Mr. King retired to the bosom of an affectionate family. 1 There is a degree of modesty and brevity m this narrative which shows a great deal of latent talent and reserved fun. j