Licensing Matters.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12337, 20 August 1903, Page 5

Licensing Matters.

THE NTCA\TOWN LICTCNStfrf.

DI^PITATION WAITS OS THR PllßlinEll. Per Preys Association.

Wellington, A|ug.ust 10. A 1 cldpfultiation of " ]\io ( derates " and syn^p'atnisera \\ith the hotelkeapers of New town waited on the Premier today. The in-incip^l point of the deputation was that the ho'tel keepers should be permitted to carry on tjheir business until iiho question of whet,hor .or not tho Committee is bound to grant licenses had been decided by the 'Privy Council.' , The Premier repudiated the sftigges.tioai that the hands of the police had ibeen tied by the BjXQquftive in onder to ►prevent the prosequtioto of Newtown pu'blioans. The. Police Department had had the matter uttder consideration with a view of coming to a just 'decision- as to its flrotaefclfure. The matter had been referred to the law officers of the Crown and G'ofvern.inent had been, advised that the matter waa .one for the Courts to determine. That advice could not be disregarded. The .law oncers agreed that if the Privy Council reversed the decision of the Full Court of New Zealand, whiqh upheld the Committee in refusing to grant licenses,- than the hotelkeepers of Newtown would be restored to the pos tion they previously ocoupieid. 'Next^came the question of wih'at would happen in the meantime. Every man irvust feel for those wfoo wjhale acting wiflhin what they liclidved to be -their legal right m%ht be held to be gtuilty of illicit tt^ading. HJis symlpathies were with them, but the miatter was one for the Courts to decide. H© g&ve a pledge that sfueh a situation as had occurred w,ould not oc<sur affain. The Kegjulatiotn of Local Elec. tions Act wodild be amended to provide that any' rregjularity, unless it aiffected the restalt of the' poll, should be set aside and the poll sfh,oxil!d srta4d. For the hearing of election petitions the con^tifcuitio-n of the Bench required to be altered, and it wonrld be altered. The Government coiild jibt give Prohibitionists all +hey desia'efcl, as to do so would not satisfy the biulk of the people in the countoy, and it could not give the trade all it wainted as it wiould seriously 'hr/ure the people. In regard to'fche JMewtoiwtn hotels he would, in the event of ijhe licensees being compelled to close nfoiw and afterwards being granted licenses on the Privy Council judgment, b* willing^ to support a claim for compensation for loss odcasioneid in t(he ■ intor'val tho.ugh he could not pledge Dhe Government to "that.