THE LICENSING ACT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 24 November 1910, Page 21

THE LICENSING ACT.

ITS EFFECT ON THE MODERATE MAN. MR- OLIVER NICHOLSON INTERVIEWED. Exactly £ the new Licensing Act will er feet the community has as yet been barely recognised by the nnblic but as the measure becomes’more clearly understood, there is every probability of those responsible for prohibition being carried in their residential areas, becoming far from satisfied with its drastic clauses. An exposition of the Act has been made by Mr. Oliver Nicholson, who is a recognised leading legal authority, and especially so in licensing matters. Mr Nicholson states that the question as to what benefits the nc-License party or the Trade have gained by the Act is one upon which doubtless the leaders of each party will give. diverse opinions, . and he more ParUculariy deals with the question as it affects the moderate section of the community. , ~ “The issues are now we 1 denned, states Mr. Nicholson, “being limited to continuance and nc-license on.one, ballot paper, and for national prohibition and against national prohibition on the other pamer. The effect of nolicense is far more drastic under the present Act than it was under the old law Hitherto the moderate man after no-license had been carried in his district. retained certain liberties and privileges as to consumption of liquor. For instance, he could have liquor in lockers at his clubs, and also liquor at his . public or semi-public social gatherings. The previous test was that of whether such liquor was held for the purpose of sale, etc. The No-license party, feeling doubtless that the retention by the moderate man or these liberties and privileges was not very materially lessening the consumption of liquor in districts where no-license had been carried, has been successful in introducing certain clauses into the present Act, which wil' effectually take from, him those liberties which he has hitherto enjoyed. The clauses I refer to more particularly are those which have reference to places of common resort for the consumption of liquor in a nolicen.se district. “The true meaning of these clauses is not at first apparent to the ordinary lay mind, but there can be no question that the legal effect of the same is to prevent under no-license the keeping and consumption of liquor in any chartered clubs, sports, racing, bowling clubs, etc., or’ at any public or semi-public social and carnival gatherings held outside the limits of one’s private residence. The moderate man in a, no-license district in future will have to content ’ himself with the liberty he has been graciously allowed to retain, namely that of consuming liquor with his friends in his own private residence and not elsewhere. The effect of the no-license vote in future will to all

practical intent and pruposes be tantamount to prohibition. It is quite true that a resident in a no-license district will still be able to order liqour for his own consumption, but if the no-license areas increase in dimension the restrictions upon the same will be found by him as irksome and harassing in practice as if he were a resident in an actual prohibited area.” “Consequently in future the moderate man will have to wake up to the true effect of the no-license vote, which he has in the past so materially helped to increase by his support. He will have to reflect and decide whether he is prepared to have his liberties and privileges so drastically curtailed and interfered with as contemplated by the present Act. I feel sure that the result at the next poll will be arrived at through the vote of the moderate man given thoughtfully and after mature consideration of the true effect of bis vote, and not as hithertofore aiven from sentimental and other reasons. I need not refer to the other issue “of national prohibition.” Everyone knows that the same means the total abolition of ’iouor from this Dominion, which is the ultimate goal of the No-License party sought to be obtained strictly by this issue and indirectly by the no-license issue.”