LICENSED VICTUALLERS MEETING.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 39, 22 August 1885, Page 2

LICENSED VICTUALLERS MEETING.

A meeting of gentlemen interested in the Licensed Victuallers trade took place at the Roseland Hotel on Thursday night. Amongst those present were Messrs Matthewson, Crawford, Dickson, Cannon, Fischer, Beresford, Staples, Allanach, &c.

Mr Crawford, having been called to the chair, stated that in accordance with a resolution passed at the last meeting which had been called together for the purpose of considering Mr Stewart’s

Licensing Bill. The following communication had been sent to Dim S. Locke, M.H.R. :— “ ‘ This meet® ing is of opinion that the Licens® ing Act, 1881, requires a thorougl® revision, which there seems no hope 0® obtaining during the present session® but we request our member, to act it® concert with Messrs Jagger an® Morrison and other members of th® trade in Wellington, to procure sue® modifications of Mr Steward’s Amend® ment Bill as may be deemed satisfactory! to those gentlemen, drawing Mr Locke’s! particular attention to a vital alteration! required in clause 3, which must be] altered to limit the voting powers to the] male sex only, and requires the last four I lines to be expunged after the word 1 ‘ Act;’ clause 10 of the said Bill to be expunged in toto, and if there is a chanceof havingclauses 63 and 73 of the 1881 Act expunged, Mr Locke will

kindly bring his influence to bear to that end.’ The members wish to express their entire confidence in your desire to assist them to a relief from one of the most severe Acts in the Statute Book, an Act that places them completely at the mercy of avowed enemies of their calling, without leaving them any appeal to the ordinary reasonings that might be used in favor of justice, the equitable protection of their property, custom or vested rights.” Copies of the above had also been sent to Messrs Jagger and Swan. He had also received the following letter from Mr George Cross, the Secretary of the Hawke’s Bay Licensed Victuallers Association :—

Dear Sir, —Your letter of the 31st ult., to Mr G. H. Swan, was laid before the Licensed Victualls Association at their last meeting. lam instructed to inform you that we had previously acted in the matter almost as you wish, and had written Messrs. Ormond, Locke, Smith, and Captain Russell expressing our wishes as to their action when Stewart’s Amendment Bill was brought before the House. The H.B.L.V. Association have great pleasure in forwarding their rales, and hope to be able to welcome the Poverty Bay Licensed Victuallers Association into the ranks with the sister societies already formed for our mutual protection.

The object of the present meeting was to form themselves into an association for mutual protection of their interests.

Mr Cannon said he had written to the following gentlemen asking their cc-operation :—

Borough : —S. M. Wilson, J. R. Scott, T. J. Dickson, E. P. Joyce, S. DeCosta, A. Allanach, C. Fischer, H. Cannon, A. Graham, Common and Shelton, G. W, Matthewson, W. Adair, 8. Stevenson, W. F. Crawford, W. F. Staples, D. Page, and Graham, Pitt and Bennett. Coast.— Ruka Aratapu, Waiomatitini.; J. Finlay, Waitotara ; R. Finlay, Tologa Bay; D. McGuire, Tologa Bay; F. Fox, Tokomaru; J. White, Waipiro ; W. Milner, Tuparoa ; E. Walker, Awanui ; T. Fox, Waiomatitini ; H. McClutchy, Maraehea. Inland. —E. Beresford, Roseland ; I. Waugh, Matawhero ; R. M. Steggall, Matawhero ; O. Gallagher, Patutahi; T. Heeney, Pakirikiri ; W. Bailey, Murewai; J. McMurray, Wairoa Road; J. Bennett, Waerenga-a-hika ; Wm. Cooper, Waerenga-a-hika ; Curry,and Hogan, Ormond ; G. H. Clements, Ormond ; A. Devery, Kaiteratahi ; J. Baily, Karaka ; and Wm. Devery, Whatatutu.

Letters of apology had been received from Messrs Steggall, Wilson, Scott, Aislabie and Joyce, who were unable to attend, but who were anxious to endorse the action of the present meeting.

Mr Dickson read a letter from Mr Locke :—“ I will do all 1 can regarding Hodge’s case, which appears a very hard one. I have been to Toie on the subject.” He (the speaker) understood that the teetotallers were willing to support the general views of the Association, providing the franchise was extended to females. During the recess the Auckland Association intended to draw up a bill embodying their wishes, and the Government would be asked to take charge of it at the next sessions of Parliament. It was also intended to send two properly qualified lecturers round the two islands in the interests of the trade. Of course the large centres were most interested in this matter, but it was essentially necessary that small places also unite in the movement. There could be no question but what the Licensed Victuallers trade was of great importance, and embraced property of a very large amount, equal to any other known trade. He thought it very necessary to form a local branch of the Association with a good energetic secretary.

Mr Crawford thought they should amalgamate in order to be prepared for any emergency. It would be best to get a good secretary and to pay him. Mr Matthewson thought it required united action to protect their interests against over legislation. Mr Dickson deemed it advisable to wait until the receipt of the Auckland rules, which were expected by the next boat. On receipt of these they could better understand their position. The Association should be on a broad and national basis and general to the whole trade throughout the colony, and the present would be merely the Gisborne branch of the parent Association. In the event of a new election they should lay their rules before the candidates and whoever promised to stand by the Association the Association would stand by them. There could be little doubt but what, if they worked in concert they could turn the scale at any election, and put their man in. Mr Matthewson Said their motto should be defence and not defiance. All they wanted was to protect them-

selves from the effect of unjust legislaIt was resolved on the motion of Mr Dickson that the secretary be authorised to write to all the gentlemen in connection with the trade in the district informing them of the result of the meeting and also to forward them copies of the Independent newspaper containing a report of the meeting. Mr Cannon was appointed secretary pro tern and authorised to advertise the date of the committee meeting, to be held at the Argyll Hotel, upon recaßk of the Auckland rules. It was decided to hold the rmxt general meeting at the Settlers Hotel on Thursday, September 17, at 8 p.m. A vote of thanks to the Chair closed the proceedings.