Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1910. THE LICENSING BILL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12278, 10 October 1910, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1910. THE LICENSING BILL.

ifhe Licensing Bill, introduced into the House of Representatives, by Sir Jopeph Ward on Friday night, like every otjier measure that endeavors to solve gr£at national problems, meets with a mipced reception. : Whilst prohibition leaders are inclined to. believe .that tllfe measure .iriarkls. a . decided step forward m the 'progress of temperance reform, and to. that extent counts its proposals satisfactorily, their criticism is offered, with caution, and, the advocates of the- trade,; likewise recogftising that; concessions., have^been ,ma.d^ .J^the Prohibitionists, but at the ' same time" appreciating advantages to their own side, are a^so reluctant to give an offhand/opirijfi^n.? KFor the ..Qoverjiment's part* W may be said to be'-'An 'honest attempt ,td settle and to ' 'disassociate from politics a very difficult and disturbing \ problem. Tlie main object ai>i>ears to be to bring about some measure of finality ti> the otherwise interminable wrangle that occurs at i every election period, by incorporating witli the 'local option vote one for Do-

minion prohibition. This gives power to the New Zealand voters at one fell swoop to cut off the head of the dragon, m contrast with the process of elimination by inches which has been m operation for many years past. Whether such drastic remedy should be m the hands of the people is a matter that must give rise to varied opinions, and no doubt much controversy will occur over' the methods proposed by the Bill for ascertaining and giving effect to the popular will. The chief ground of criticism appears to lie m the fact that the voter is. not allowed to discriminate between local and Dominion prohibition. If he votes for one he must of necessity vote for the other; if he •opposes local prohibition he must of necessity oppose national prohibition. Whilst the clause has no doubt been framed with the object of simplifying the ballot, it can scarcely be said to accord with democratic ideals and to give the voter full and free method of recording his opinion. Many people, no doubt, regard national prohibition as the logical sequence to district prohibition and will be prepared to vote for both with the one stroke of the pen, but there are many others who whilst they might be. prepared to endorse a national policy are not prepared for district drought, and vice versa, and they will certainly require that the two issues be disassociated and separate votes allowed on each. There is a large body of moderate opinion whose views have always been ignored m past licensing legislation and they are still refused an opportunity of giving expression to their opinion. We refer to the advocates of State or municipal control. To many this is the true remedy for Teform of the liquor traffic, and whilst it may not accord with the policy of either prohibitionists or the licensed victuallers to have a third issue introduced, there has always appeared to us to be a good deal of force m the contention that voters should have an opportunity of expressing their views one way or another on this problem. Probably, however, sentiment on. the liquor question has reached the stage that it calls for "sudden death" decisions such as are attempted to be invoked by the Government's Bill.. The measure appears to be, sufficiently drastic to secure the will of the people, if "m favor, of prohibition, national or otherwise, being given effect to, and it embraces several salutary reforms .such as the elimination of barmaids by the process of time— for the passing years will quickly remove the attractions of the Hebes of to-day and if no recruits are to be allowed for this very undesirable calling for women it will hot be long before the barmaid is as extinct as the Dodp-r-the prevention of the sale of liquor of youths trtlder. 2l years,, and the sweeping, away of bottle licenses. The grocers fand othter bottle-Hk>enEle holders of Otago are raising their voices m protest against the threatened loss of a very lucrative business; but it is high time that a privilege which has undoubtedly been evil m its effects ; giving much rise to insidious drinking m the homes, should be swept away. Altogether the Bill is a' bold, straightforward attempt to put the licensing law on a more satisfactory footing, but its provisions are of so highly debatable a character that it is very improbable it will get far on, its legislative journey this session.