THE LICENSING BILL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12278, 10 October 1910, Page 6

THE LICENSING BILL

LOCAL OPINIONS

"Speaking personally, I don't like the Bill," stated the Rev. F, W. Chatterton, president of the Gisborne NoUicense League, when asked for his opinion on the new Licensing Bill. "It is top much on the lines of the compact, although perhaps it is a little fairer. It , is the central principle of ,(he Bill that I object to; it is .Undemocratic It really prevents many men from voting for what they want, by running the two issues into one. There are many people who object to one or the other. Some believe m the national issue who do not believe m thblocal issue, and vice versa, and neither is given an opportunity of expressing a candid opinion. As 1 have maintained all along from, the time it was first mooted, the two issues «ought undoubtedly to be made distinct, arid not be gonfused. That wits the worst feature m the whole thing, clauses generally, I dp not take exqejp' and it vitiates the Bill. As to the other clauses generally, 1 do npt take exception to them. \Of course/ added the rev. gentleman, >f these are only my personal views. lam prepared to ad' mit that there are many friends of the Lepgue who do not share the same opinion.' Regarding the reduction m the majority to decide the local option issue, the Rev. Mt Ohatterton said he thought the party -an a whole advocated the bare majority, although there were many members who considered that some reduction on the three*fifths was essential, not specifying how much. He thought for the time being the party would be satisfied with the proposed reduction, until education got a bit further ahead. Mr Ohatterton said the New Zealand Alliance was holding a meeting to-morrow niprnlng at Wellington, and the local league was to meet this afternoon and ' communicate their opinion to Wellington. Mr D. J. Barry, president of the local Licensed Victuallers' Association, on being interviewed, «aid that he did not care to say much about 'the new Bill, as a copy had not yet reached him. Judging from the summarised versions, he "wag very disappointed m finding that the compact fllgned last year by the trade and the authorised leaders of the ho-license party had not been carried out. It looked as though the Government bad yielded to political prewure

from the latter party, as at a recent nolicense demonstration m Wellington some of the Government members took up a very threatening attitude. Mr Bnrry said he thought that the idea of applying all votes for local option to Dominion prohibition was a very wise one, as it would provide a clear-cut issue and insist on .% sincere vote. It would also end the present system of no-license, which seemed farcical after the official figures which had just been issued by the Hon. Dr. Findlay, showing the huge quantities which were sent officially into no-license areas, to say nothing of what went m unofficially, or the opinions given by the inspectors of police m the various districts.