THE LICENSING ACT.

Star (Christchurch), 25 July 1893, Page 1

THE LICENSING ACT.

« [ SIR ROBERT BTOUI'S BILL. ! \ The following is the full text of the Bill introduced to the House of Representatives by Sir Robert Stout :— | Whereas it ia desirable to amend "The Licensing Act, 1881," and to give to the [ people greater control over the granting : and refusing of licenses : [ Be it therefore enaoted by the General [ Assembly of New Zealand, in Parliament j assembled, and by the authority of the same, bb follows :— ' 1. The short title of thiß Act is " The , Licensing Act, 1881, Amendment Act, [ 1893." 2. In this Act the expression " the said J Act " meanß " The Licensing Act, 1881." 3. Section 45 of the said Act is hereby ' repealed, and the following section is sub- , etituted therefor, namely, — From and after the commencement of thia Act no publicans', New Zealand wine, ' accommodation, or bottle license shall be , granted until the electors, whose names appear on the roll to be prepared under ' the provisions of the sixth section of thiß Act, shall have previously determined, in manner hereinafter provided, — . (1) Whether any such licenses are to be [ granted or not ; > (2) Whether the number of any such licenses is to be reduced j and " (3) Whether the number of any such •- licenses is to be increased or not. 4. Section 47 of the said Act is hereby repealed, and the following substituted therefor, namely, At such poll the questions set forth in ' the third seotion of this Act shall be sub- ' mitted in the form set forth in the lj Schedule set forth in the ninth section of : this Act. * 5. Section 49 of the said Act is hereby 3 repealed, and the following is enacted in * lieu thereof, namely, 3 As soon as conveniently may be after * the result of the poll has been ascertained, 1 the Chairman shall give public notice of - the number of votes recorded for and ■ against the several proposals aB above ' provided, and shall declare the resolutions 1 to be carried or rejected, as the case may ' be. If the majority of the votes given are k in, favour of the proposal that no licenses ' of the kind in respect whereof the vote has 3 been taken are to be granted, or the pro--3 posal that the number of licenses of the >- kind in respect whereof the vote has been > taken is to be rednced, or that the number 3 of licenses of the kind whereof the vote 3 has been taken shall not be increased, 3 then that shall be the determination or > determinations, and ehall he Grinding on the ' Licensing Committee ; and in the case of ' such determination being that the number [ of licenses is to be reduced, then the number : of publicans' licenses granted shall not be " more than such & number that there shall » be one such license in respect of every seven hundred and fifty inhabitants in the licensing district, and the census returns Bhall be conclusive evidence of the vjnhmbervQf inhabitants' ia, each licensing £ ;^^iptV^and.^%*tl»e.c'_^e of wine, accom- " mqdatio_,"or' bottle licenses the Licensing 1 Committee shall reduce the number by ~> such a number as the Committee shall 3 think desirable. 6. Before any poll is taken aa provided -* by the third section of thia Act the Clerk -* of the Licensing Committee shall add to ' the ratepayers' roll of the licensing dist rict the names of all persons (not already in Buoh ratepayers' roll) appearing in the ' roll of electors for the election of members 1 of the House of Representatives who ' reside in the licensing district, or are enrolled in respect of any qualification 1 situate in the licensing district ; or, ' if the licensing district is not wholly comprised in one electoral district, but in ; more than one, then such clerk shall add as aforesaid the names of all electors appearing in the rolls for such electoral districts who reside in the licensing district, or are enrolled on either of such rolls in respect of a qualification situate in the licensing district 5 and such ratepayers' roll, when so amended as aforesaid, shall be the roll for the taking of the poll under sections of this Act, and the provisions of 1 the second and third paragraphs of the * fifty -fir at section of the said Act shall be ' deemed to be added to this section. ' 7. The forty-sixth section of the said Act 1 is hereby repealed, and in lieu thereof it iB ' enacted aB follows : — The Governor in Council shall appoint 1 some one day in the month of March, one ' thousand eight hundred and ninety-four, and thereafter in the month of March in 1 every third year, for the taking in all . licensing districts throughout the Colony I of the poll to be taken under the provisions of the said Act as amended by this Act ; * and the Returning Officer in each licensing district shall give not lesß than fourteen . days' notice of the day so appointed. 8, The fact that a member of a Licensing . Committee has, prior tohUeie«»f?. ? T *,lZj * time, given a pledge to reduce the nui-b.. of licenses, or to refuse all licenses, or has ) expressed any opinion as to tha policy of . granting licenses, shall not disqualify such L member from sitting and acting aa a ; member of the Licensing Committee ; nor [ shall the fact of any member of a Licensing Committee or any number of members , having so pledged or expressed themselves ■ render any decision or act of such Coml mittee liable to be questioned or set aside. * 9. The Second Schedule to the said Act is hereby repealed, and the following is enacted in lieu thereof : — SECOND SCHEDULE. Form of Voting - paper. In respect of Publicans' Licenses. I vote that no publicans' licenses be granted. I vote that the number of publicans' licenses be reduced. I vote that the number of publicans' licenses maybe increased. I vote that the number of publicans' licenses may not be increased. In respect of New Zealand Wine Licenses, I vote that nd New Zealand wine licenses be granted. I vote that the number of New Zealand wine licenses be reduced. I vote that the number of New Zealand wine licenses may be increased. I vote that the number of New Zealand wine licenses may not be increased. In respect of Accommodation Licenses. I vote that no accommodation licenses be granted. I vote that the number of accommodation licenses be reduced. I vote that the number of accommodation licenses may be increased. I vote that the number of accommodation licenses may not be increased. In respect of Bottle Licenses. I vote that no bottle licenses be granted. I vote that the number of bottle licenses be reduced. I vote that the number of bottle licenses may be increased. I vote that the number of bottle licenses may not be increased. Directions. In each of the foregoing cases the voter is to strike out the proposal for which he does not vote by drawing a line through the same with a pencil. He must be careful not to leave uncancelled more than one proposal in each case ; otherwise the vote in such case will be void in resDect of that particular proposal. The* ballot paper so marked by or for the voter is to be dropped by him into the ballot-box. The voter is not allowed to take hia ballot-paper out of the polling-booth.

I Those who drink Ceylindo Tea will not Ibe satisfied with any other brand.— j [Advt.]