LOCAL OPTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2408, 10 June 1882, Page 3

LOCAL OPTION.

TO THI BDITOB O» THB TIUABtf HIBALD. Sib,— l ami anxious, ; through , tbe medium of^jotjr oolumris, to draw the attention of ratepayers who as yet have bad no looal option poll to one or two pointa m connection with the new Licensing Act. The Chairman; of every Licensing Committee is empowered to call a meoting before tbe end of this year, at whioh tbe ratepayers of tbe district shall deotde whether any new license! may be granted witbio the n»xt three years. A ntjm-

tar of people bare inn away with the idea that, if the diTision gha'l be m faror of incr«a«e, there are cerUin to be more licemed homes opeDed almo t at oto-. This idea I wish to do away with. The Liceming Committee, chosen by the ratepayers themfelres, hBTe always the power to refuse any new ap« plication, and will most certainly do ao if they consider it not to be required, and tbis queition, I think, may tafely be left m the h.eds of Committees. . Bat if by the poll it, be ;decid«sl that there shall be no new licenses granted, the people mo rirtnally saying that during the next three years no circumit»noe> can poseibly arise to alter an opinion baied upon circumstances existing at the present time. In this country, towns are otttn of muibroom-like growth, as we all kpow, and this we ought to consider m recording our rotes. If it were for only one year it would be of muph Irss momeDt, but three years is a Very long time and who can say what may happen m their course. • In another ■point, too, it has to be considered. If there be, and can for the next three years be, only one licensed house say m a small lowDthip, does not this throw too much power into the hands of the proprietor ? Knowing that there can be no opposition to bin for at leait three years, and that he bas a monopoly for that time, may he not become arrogint and neglect that consideration for the public, which is the doty of erery publiraa to consult f At long as be walked carefully within the limits of the Act be might feel that the public were dependent on him, and not he on the public In my opinion it^ is our duty to decide on the increase of licenses should circnmstancei render more houses Decenary, knowing that we hare a safeguard m oar Committee!, whose daty it is to say whither these circumstances warrant •uch increaie. I hope that thin letter will hare the effect of making ratepayers consider the subject for a little, for, I fancy, Very few of them hare thought of the matter at all. lam, &c, EUBTIOUS.