THE LICENSING BILL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 151, 1 August 1914, Page 12

THE LICENSING BILL.

FURTHER CONSIDERATION. VARIOUS AMENDMENTS. [From our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 31. The Licensing Bill was further considered in committee. The chairman called on Mr J. Payne (Grey Lynn) to move the amendment standing in his name which proposed to make it compulsory on all electors to record their votes. Mr Payne movedy the amendment pro forma. There was no discussion, and the proposed clause was thrown out on the voices:

; There was an amendment standing in the name of Mr W. D. S. Mac Donald (Bay of Plenty) substituting another form of voting v paper. Mr Mac Donald was not in his place, and Mr J. V. Brown (Napier) rose to propose the amendment. Mr L. M. Isitt objected unless Mr Brown had written authority to act for Mr Mac Donald, and the member for Napier withdrew. The next amendment was in the name of Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt), and proposed to do away with the local option issue. .Mr Wilford said that he had intended to bring down the amendment in the event of the majority being reduced, but he did not now propose to go on with it. ALTERATION OF BOUNDARIES. Mr W. H. D. Bell (Wellington Suburbs) proposed an amendment dealing with the alterations of boundaries of electorates made by the boundary commissioners. The proposed new clause provided that if an area belonging to a non-prohibition district were merged into a prohibition district the area should remain a special non-prohibi-tion district, unless, and ...-until a: subse- ■• quent poll taken over the whole electorate carries prohibition or vice versa, if an area of a prohibition electorate is included in a non-prohibition district it shall remain a special prohibition area unless and until a poll of the whole new district decides against prohibition. The clause met with a good deal of support from members on both sides of the House.

Sir Joseph Ward said that the cancellation of licenses through the action of the commissioners in altering boundaries so as to bring hotels within nolicense areas was most unjust. If ever there was a case for compensation it was this. He believed that instances had occurred at several places in the Dominion.

The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher also supported the amendment, although he thought that it would be a difficult one for the Prime Minister to, accept. When hotels lost their licenses through alterations in boundaries it practically meant that the country was putting into the hands of three commissioners powers which should be exercised only by the people of the district affected. Several members protested against the fact that the clause was retrospective.

Mr L. M. Isitt said that he was not troubling much about the proposal as no Government could face the consequences of it, if it were carried. There was no use talking of the hardship imposed on certain people, there had never in the world's history been a reform without hardship to someone. An attempt at compensation would lead them into a hopeless muddle. He could not understand how a lawyer of repute could bring down a one-eyed, one-leg-ged measure of this kind. It was so crippled it would not go on crutches. If every member had maintained his pledge for the 45 and 55 per cent, of voting, there would have been a certain majority of 10 for the principle; but an undue and unholy influence had been brought to bear on them by the monopoly. RETROSPECTIVE PROPOSAL DEFEATED. When Mr Bell's proposals came to a division they met with a sudden fate. The first clause (clause 6), which was purely a machinery clause, containing the necessary definitions, was adopted by 37 votes to 27, and was added to the Bill. %. Mr Bell then suggested that a straight out vote should be taken on the retrospective clause (clause 9). A division was taken, and the clause negatived by 38 votes to 23. Mr Bell said that his clause was a lengthy method of providing against cases of injustice in the future. A retrospective clause .had been put forward for a test vote, and, as it had been negatived, it would be better that the shorter method should be adopted, he therefore proposed now to have clause 6 struck out. Clause 6, previously carried, was then struck out. Mr Bell then moved a new clause, that the Electoral Boundary Commisr sioners should, when revising boundaries, wherever it was practicable, arrange them so that no licensed premises should be in a No-license district, and, where not practicable, they should mention this fact in their report and give reasons. The clause was agreed to on the voices. OTHER PROPOSALS. A new clause, proposed by Mr R. McCallum (Wairau), providing that sections 146 and 147 of the principal Act should not apply to registered chemists in certain circumstances, was negatived. Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) proposed a new clause (amending section 127, sub-section 5 of the principal Act), providing for the shifting of a license without respect to any particular locality. The clause was negatived. Mr J. B. Hine (Stratford) moved a new clause, providing that youths should be prohibited from obtaining liquor from wholesale houses. The clause was agreed to. Mr Wilford (Hutt) moved the addition of a clause allowing a woman who obtains a divorce to hold a license. The clause was agreed to. The schedules were agreed to, and the Bill was reported with amendments. The House adjourned at 11.55 p.m.

A big broad day of sun and sky—solid boots, a good road, and the 'ole pouch chock up with FULL about a holiday —what? Well, just try it! Tins or plug. 2 A pet stag owned by a gamekeeper at Fuerstwangel, Bavaria, lives on sausages, poultry, and venison, its favourite drink being beer.