ENGLISH LICENSING BILL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13533, 2 March 1908, Page 5

ENGLISH LICENSING BILL.

111:1 \ I I.S 111'" Till-: M K ASI r. I

i- ii:i!i'i: si i;t i:i-i-: i'ihm'.cas'i i-.d

Press Association-I'v Iclettrapli r.opjtighw i.ONDt'X. l'Ybniaiy 28.

In i lit- llou f ('oiiiiiioiis Mr As(|tii(li ii) 11 mi uc.-il ;i compi eh' iimvc Licensing liill, i,:i ed in Milne < .m on the minoiit v r>|.i>il ~1 l.oid I'.IV (•oiiiiiii.siuii. riiIJili cinipii.-. - iiinnc.liaW- and tediit-iioi.i. ul" kii-iiitics. mi the ivlail side, ioi till- Side of inlovicaiits by the St;i!e Hiadliallv. and uisli due repaid |o existing •nt c.- list v. 'lll- Hill also provides thati t InState shall it.'nV; r doiiiitnoti uVer a tnoiio).o!v iiiiptoviti -ntly allowed to escape its control.

The Bill piop.iv.es tiie tompulsoiy le diiciioii of t lie number of licens-es duting a time limit of compensation, namely. 14 years, and th- suppieuiioii of 32,0 L.) liceiiM ... ..I one t fliiil of Ihe whole number i,l liccii-.es. It- a';'-., lixes tihe iiiaximun'ji nmrii. r ..I li. eiisn-. a. . ..i.ln.g lo the density i>f population. It greatly reduces the scale of compensation, and cstablhln s ii central Licei.'ing t'ommission. 'I he are.-i of th- lew on the lic-'iising trade will cover the whole of England and \Vale.s. and the compensation will h- such as I'i suffice, with interest at the rate of '\ per cent., to pun-hi-.iie an immediate annuity for the unexpired years of the reduction peiiod. ill.- t'onimissionei:; of Inland Hevenue adding what, tihev consider just coinpi-nsiiiioii to •icense-holders for Iom; of business.

The Bill fixes the annual value in this cas-- .-is the difference between the value l-c----tunied for income lax purposes, and the value of the premises if unlicensed. The hit lei- w ill h - es iniiited by liie Oommis sioueis of Inland Ueveuue aft.-r 1-1 years monopoly. The value of all liceme.s wi.i he restored to the community, and locai option will follow. Meanwhile, parochial electon; will e.\vici.-» the locai vole in connection with new licenses, the vote being binding for three yeais. Clubs must regisler annually to afford opportunity for objections, and ununiformed police may inspect th?m. The Bill fixes the limit for bona lide travellers at six miles. It confers local option on Wales, and exiend ; Welsh closing to Monmouthshire. 11 doiv, not allow children to eiit -x a lii enst--.: bar.

'J he TV-mperance members of the House of Commons cheered as Mi Afiqnilh ques tinned the existence of a legal light of property in licenses, bur were silent when he remarked that there had grown np. ouisiile of the law. intetv.sts which statesmen were unable to ignore. Mr Asi|uith said he considered it con trary to public policy to encourage lied houses.

Mr Balfour stidiilotisir ploluU-ed against the extinction of legal property as robbery. Compensation was offered not .-it present 'market value. -That was a fair sum: anyt liing else was wiring. He predicted the multiplication of unlicensed drinking places.

The Liberals and Lahouiifes warmly supported the Hill, which w.-.u lead a lust, rime.

A protracted itmgg'.e in committee i expected. Liberal newspap.-is welcome the Hill as bold and far-reaching. Conservative papers predict great, disturbance and annoyance. and little good, towards the promotion of temperance. There is- fierce public criticism of the Licensing Hill. The trade declares that it i.s sheer robbery, while the Nonconformists and Tenipeiance advocate applaud it<. The brewery share niarkw is paralyi>ii. and other iiiveptinents are affected.

LONDON PRESS COMMEX'I

SHARP FALL IN SHARKS

Received 4.43 p.m.. March Ist. LONDON. February 29.

"The Times." commenting on the money market, states that the outstanding featuie is the weakness of brewery sliate.;. Dealers have marked down prices throughout their list a precaution, and dealings aiv impossible. Brewery and commercial trust preferred .'hares- fell two points, and deferred thiee points.

The "Financial Times" says that th? nominal marking down of values of brewery and allied stocks represents an aggregate shrinkage of £22.000.000. The " Daily Telegraph " declares that- Mr Asqnith's Licensing Bill has signed thedtfath warrant of the Government. The "Financial News" says that an impression was gaining ground this afternoon that- the Bill had been introduced for the purpose of filling the cup for the. House of Lords, and to convince teetotallers that it was hopeless to think of inducing the connrry to agree to views in the direction of spoliation.