The wanganui Chornicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1890.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIIi, Issue 11688, 5 July 1890, Page 2

The wanganui Chornicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NU LLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1890.

Mr W. S. Cainb, the late member for Barrow, in the British -Houso of Commons, a Liberal-Unicnist of some prominence, occuping the responsible position of a Government whip, has just icaliscd the uncertainty that attache* to a triangular election contest. Mr Came is a strong party man— but he is at the same time an ardent abstainer and a vigorous opponent of the principle of compensation to publicans. To such an extreme does Mr Came carry his feeling of antagonism to the compensation clauses of the Licensing Bill introduced by Mr Ritchie, that he not Only bitterly denounced the Government for tho position they had taken up, but finally decided to resign his seat, with the view of submitting his own conduetto the approval or disapproval of the electorsoftheconstituencyherepresentad. Mr Oaine's was no idle threat. He resigned, as hn said he would ; he stood for re-election; and he has been defeated. Mr Came made a mistake. He meant to give his party a slap in the face— but they refused to accept with meekness the intended castigation, and strove to tho very utmost to turn tho tables on Mr Came. In this' they were triumphant — but while the friends were doing their utmost to disparage and defeat each other, the enemy walked in and carried off the prize. Mr Came polled 1208 vote's, and Mr Wainwright, another Liberal-Unionist, .1862 votes, making a total of 3070 as representing the strength of the Liberal-Unionist party ; while Mr Duncan, a Radical candidate, who had all tho support of Mr Gladstone and the Home Rule party, drily polled 1994 votes — sufficient, however, under the circumstances, to win him the election. Mr Gladstone supported, in tho House, the principle for. which Mr Came contended, but the moment the latter resigned the G.O.M. throw him overboard and devoted all his influence to running in a man who would count as another vote on. his side of the House. Mr Gladstone's attitude on the compensation question has excited a good deal of comment, inasmuch >as it involves one more recantation of life-long principles. During the debate on the Government Bill, a number of the speakers enlivened the proceedings from time to time by reading extracts from former speeches of Mr Gladstone in favour of compensation. But now that a Conservative Government endorses the principle, Mr Gladstone is found to be in strenuous opposition to it. His explanation is that the courts have since denied the existence of such a vested interest in a licensed public house as entitles'the owner of that interest to be indemnified for its extinction. We have never been able to see -why claims for compensation on account of unrenewed' licenses should receive a moment's consideration, and any suggestion of the kind has always received our strongest opposition and condemnation. But, if we understand rightly, the principle of compensation in the English Bill is made to apply, not to licenses the renewal of which may be refused, but to licenses cancelled, for no. fault of the licensee, during the term of their currency. A paper from which we quote says that tho debate on the Licensing Bill " turned upon the evils of drjnk, which nobody ' disputes, upon the iniquity of oompensation, and upon many other topics of sentiment. Mr Ritchie showed clearly that this is not a measure for compensation in the ordinary sense. Publicans are not to be paid for failure to renew licenses, butpaid only where a license exists, and the County Council, desiring to extinguish it, should be willing to pay for that purpose." If this correctly" represents the compensating principle of the measure, then it seems to us that the prohibitionists have pushed their opposition too far, "Be just and fear not" should be the motto of temperance reformers — but there is no justice in taking away a man's license, fqr no fault of his, during its currency, and refusing to grant him any compensation therefor. Compensation for refusing to renew a license ie> quite another thing, and should be resisted to the utmost.