THE LICENSING LAW.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12817, 17 July 1912, Page 3

THE LICENSING LAW.

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, last night,. A deputation numbering about 30 and representing the New Zeajand Alliance waited on the Prime Minister (Hbn W. F. Massey) this evening. The speakers! were Revs. W. J. Crombie (chairman of the Alliance), A. R. Atkinson "and G. Carson (Wanganui), and ,- Mr R. A. Wright. The deputation^ asked for a-re-duction of the three-fifths handicap (which they said was intolerable) ; stricter administration of the law m the King Country ; one brewery one license (this involving the abolition of depots)?, the enforcement of 10 o'clock closing and Sunday closing; the amendment of the law which now allows the employment of unregistered barmaids iil'privatelbars by providing for one license one bar ;" a fresh poll to be. taken on tihe licensing question if dissolution takes place within one year after the usual election; electoral reform ' providing for the purging of the rolls and the prevention of tampering with ballot papers. The deputation asked that the Government should embody the foregoing m an amendment Bill during the coming year, or failing that, a Bill dealing similarly with the majority question sh6uld he introduced. ; ■

' Jn reply the Premier said there was no chance of the Government bringing forward ft Licensing Bill this session, except to meet the point raised regarding barmaids, bui if a- private member brought down a Bill dealing with -the whole questioii the Government would place no obstruction m its way. As to the King Country th© European population was increasing there So rapidly that the time was coming when the population of that district must Have the right to say "yes" or "no" concerning licenses. ' His Government would administer the existing law strictly and impartially. Personally he was quite unpledged on the question of t/he threefifths majority. As to the request for one license one brewery, m order to 1 abolish depots, he would require time to make inquiries into that phase of the matter.