Licensing Questions.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4932, 23 April 1894, Page 1

Licensing Questions.

[Peb Prrss Association.! GISBOBNE, Apbil 22. Sir Robert Stout, who passed Gisborne in the Talune yesterday, was interviewed by a deputation of the Gisborne Temperance League, and thanked for his efforts on behalf of the cause of temperance. In a" chat over the effect of the recent elections, he advised the party to inculcate temperance sentiments in the community by meetings and literature. He expressed the opinion that Parliament would sweep aw»y the provision which required half the electors on the roll to record their votes, and said that if the Government would not bring in a Bill to give the people full expression of their wishes he should do so himself. They did not want Parliament to declare for prohibition, but for it to give the right to the people to do that which they desired. He eaid there should only have been one paper for the committee and local option poll, and many of the votes which were counted as informal should not have been so counted, as, for inEtanne, ballot-papers on which an elector had only declared his opinion on publicans' licenses and not touched bottle and accommodation licenses. Sir Bobert suggested that the licensing poll should be held simultaneously with and at the same booths as the general election. He saw no reason that there should not be a poll on prohibition whenever there was a general parliamentary election. If this were done it would be a great caving in trouble and expense, and there would not be difficulty in getting people to go to the poll. WELLINGTON, April 21. Mr Martin, S.M., in the course of the hearing of a case of selling liquor to a j child under thirteen, incidentally commented on the small number of inebriates who had been before him ainne the new Act came into force, which, he thought, showed that hotelkeepers were awakening to the fact that the law must be respected. The Ma3terton Licensing Bench intends to charge £2 per diem for conditional licenses, and to inspect the hotels personally. INVERCAEGILI/, April 21. The Invercargill licensing election petition inquiry cloaed to-day, Mr Bawson, S.M., reserving judgment till Wednesday next. Mr Maedonald, for the respondent, while admitting irregularities in the conduct of the poll, urged that the Magistrate was not called on to give an adverse decision unless theee affected the result of the election, of which, in this instance, there was no fear.

An informal meeting of the Ashburton Licensing Committee wa3 held in the Courthouse on Saturday afternoon for the , purpose of being interviewed by a deputation of the Ashburton Baoing Club. The Rev J. Cocker and Mr EL M. Jones were the only members of the committee present, as a difficulty had been experienced in getting the members together. The , deputation, consisting of Messrs Hugo Friedlander, E. Saundera, E. G. Crisp and Dr Leahy, applied to the committee to re- , consider the decision given on the previous , Saturday, when it refused to grant a Hc9nße to the Racing Club for its autumn meeting. After considerable dis- . cuesion, the Rev Mr Cocker stated that, ■ having the opinions of certain members of > the committee who could not ba present, i and in view of the full committee's . decision of laat week, he could not reverse , that decision.