The Daily News. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1901. THE LICENSING QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 137, 2 July 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1901. THE LICENSING QUESTION.

We heartily endorse the remarks of the Chairman of the New Plymouth Licensing Committee in regretting that owing to the apithy or cirelessness of the electors no committer was elected to share with him the responsibility of the annual meeting. We cannot, however, extend to him the sympathy for which he craves, because instead of taking the obviously safe course under the circumstance], that is referred the question to those whose neglect had placed him in the position he so deplores, he deliberately took advantage of his position to act directly contrary to thn declared wishes of those whoie interests he, in the absence of a committee, he is expected to conserve. The opinion has often been expressed that the result of th local option poll being to leave thingg as they were, there was no need of a committ-e, and if the proceeding* at New Plymouth only has the effe-t of showing the folly of this course much good will have been done. Egnwnt learned this lesson when in the absence of a commit ce the Magistrate, * zeroising its functions, extended all licenses to 11 o'clock.' In that casp, howav*r, the people put in a committee which promptly rf stored the old order * f thing?. In the case of New Plymouth this is not so easy, and we fancy it will be a long time before an opportunity will be again afforded to one man of going so directly in opposition to the will of the people. The annual rn ctiny of the Licensing Cemmi'Ve this year will long ba remembered for the long-drawn-out effusions with which it oegan and ended, thtft of yet«rday being, if possible, moo extraordinary than the one which tignalited the opening of the sittings. We once reid a s'ory of a ycung lawyer being adsisrd by an old judge, "Wbeo.s id the judge", you have the law against; you, but justice od your side argue the necessity of doiDg justire, though the heavors fa'l ; if on the other hand just ; ce is agaitst you, but the law is in your favour, urge the necessity of upholding the maj sty of the law. " But," said the young lawyer, "what am I to do if both law and justice era against me 'i" " Then," said tie old Judge, "you must talk round it." This appears to bo the cise here; with botfi law and justice cle.rly against him the Chairman of the Licensing Committe« hf s simply talked round the question. [n his dessertation on the law of thquestione, he has carefully omifed all reference to the fact th>.t he ha*, in the f«ce of a very Urge adve se vote if the people, forced an additional license on the borough of New Plymouth, and deprived a riding of the County of a liceoß<», and a pqr'i n of its iavenue. His silence on this aspect of the question is most significant. Then in regard to the nend of an additional license. T.ia Chairman of the Licensing Committee 8 iys that in more or less emphatic language, 12 witn-sws one and all gave evideicj <f the need of more accommodation in New Plymouth. We say without fear of contradiction that there was absolutely no evidence whatever of the need of anoth?r license to sell liquor in New Plymouth. No

one of the3e 12, aid tie other i-ix witnesses refer, d to said one word about any difficulty in getting liquor at any ho'el in New Plymouth. All the evidence for the application wes in regard to the w«nt of lodging accommodation, and even a gra.it dial of that was disproved, as in the case of Mr Major, of Huwera. In ai'ition to 'his, sioca the alleged difficulty regarding accommodation, the White Hart Hotel has been considerably enlarged, ; nd tho Hot 1 Oomm- n«eaith built, ivA the awmmodation. was ti.'ore without considering tha que-tioj ' of a license. Perhaps-th-) most excia-| ordinary portion of this extraoidinary I production is that pars referring to aj r. port of Sergeant 8 agpo lu. Notwithstanding the fact that the law relegates the question of the incte se or decrease of licenses io a vo e of the people, the Magistrate says hid duty is to administer the law es he finds it. "It may often happen, he says, that I do not °agr«e with the law I havi to administer, but I never have and never shall attempt to amend it by my dacis;on?. My province-i* "jus dicere n>n jus da'e." Yet in spi eof a most emphitic declaration on thi part of the people again3t any increase, he proceeds to be a law unto hims If, ai.d ss long ago as August, 1900, apvar.ently contemplated the sit i now o<up : ed by the Hotel C mmm.vi.alth as a suitable and de»irable one for an addi'iond licensed -building. We must "c>nf<s.< we are quit» at a los-i to find any explinat:on for siich action on thepirt of one entru ted with tha carrying out of tha wisbef of the peopl., "8 expressed at a poll taken for the 6ole purpo-.e of ascertaining their wishes on this subject. But for the fact that it is unders ooi the dec'sion will be reviewed in the Supiem • Oourt, we should have more to say. No doubt, independsclly of court prcceeiings, steps will be taken during tie present session of Parliament to pat tho intention of the L'gi>litur< in regird to &uch ca"es b yondddour,b r , and we vesture to say that publ'c opinion has seldom been so dteply stirred as on the p'tsent t cession.