THE LICENSING BILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8104, 1 September 1904, Page 3

THE LICENSING BILL.

PABLIAMENTiJIY IMPRESSIONS. [FnoM Odb Corhespondsnt.] ! WELLINGTON", September 1. j In contanuation of t>he messages forwarded yesterday, I send the. following further interviews -with, members concerning til© Lic«iising* Bill.' The Hon W. Carneross, 11.L.C, said: "I have glanced hurriedly through tne Bill, and cannot cay that 1 have grasped all its points. I consider that ifee elimination of the reduction vote is a reasonable" proposal. The reduction vote ■wm a weU intenticmed effort to afford the people opportunities to gradually extinguish, the hotels; but ifc has liad effects •nrihich were not generally foreseen. ' Many of the moet reputable publicans, who conducted ineir 'hotels respectably, iiave been driven out of business, and temperance legislation has built up a publicans' monopoly. Hotel values have been enormously en-hanced, an<J some publicans, not always the most worthy, have been enriched at the expense of their brethren in the trade. The clause which comes- under the heading " •effect of nolicense" will b 8 found exceedingly difficult of enforcement. Many electorates contain quite a nunalber of small centres of population witlhin tth«ir radius. It will be almost impossible to establish Customs or other officers at each of these centres, and there cannot be tlie necessary supervision to stringently enforce the clause, at all events in back-block districts. , In [reference to State control, I would rather see the Government boldly grapple the subject in preference to taking a referendum. If, in accordance with tJie proposals of tfoe Bill, the people decided' that tlie State should assume sole control of the liquor, I doubt whether the State could execute the order. I believe in State or municipal 1 control, or both, as the bsst means of cheeking the undoubted evils of the liquor traffic. For the State to first assume control of the breweries would be a good -commencement, and would be a deatih-biow to th& tied house busin*e9. Claiise 39, dealing with tie removal of lapsed licenses, will put un end to an existing abuse. ' Giving Magistrates discretionary power in the matter of endorsing licenses is a necessary amendment. In clause 48, referring to supplying young persons, I would strike out the words " consumed on the premises," so that young parsons may not be used as carriers of liquor. Ckuse 50 is an admirable one. It is on all fours with Imperial legislation, and will be found an effective check on trading after 'hours. Clause 58, in my opinion, will be found no more effective than, is the present law for dealing with tied houses. I warmly support bringing clubs under, certain provisions of the licensing Acts."