Licensing Reform.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5326, 2 August 1895, Page 1

Licensing Reform.

♦ The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act Amendment Bill, of which our Wellington correspondent furnished a summary, should meet with the approval of those temperance reformers who believe that there is a happy mean between unchecked license and total prohibition. The proposal to take the licensing poll on the day of the general election is in iteelf a distinct advance upon the -present unsatisfactory system. If it Bhould be adopted, the electors will have no excuse for failing to record their votoe, and the prohibitionists may be trusted to assist in thoroughly purging the rolls before each contest. The issues to be placed upon the ballot papers are as follow :— (1) Whether the existing number of licenses in the district shall be continued. (2) Whether the number of licenses in the district shall be reduced. (3) Whether any license shall be granted in the district. (4) Whether any license shall be granted in the colony. Each elector may vote in the affirmative upon either one or two of these issues. He may, for instance, support both local and colonial prohibition, or he may support a reduction in his own district and prohibition for the whole of the colony. The maintenance of the present position, or a redaction in the number of licenses, may be effected by a bate majority vote, but neither local nor colonial prohibition can be carried without a three-fifths majority. Railway refreshment rooms and clubs are to be governed by the local option poll, and the members of the two Houses of Parliament are to decide-— by a " bare majority " — whether or not alcoholic liquors shall be sold within the precincta of the parliamentary buildings. Publicans will be allowed to supply lodgers and travellers on Sunday, but they will not be bound to do so, and persons applying for liquor on that day will be held responsible by the 3aw for the accuracy of their representations. Altogether, the Bill seems to offer a further instalment of popular legislation on the liquor question, which should be heartily welcomed by the public.