THE NEW ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1109, 13 July 1911, Page 21

THE NEW ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

ANOTHER INJUSTICE TO THE TRADE. NO-LICENSE INTRODUCED WITHOUT A PROPER POLL. The announcement that the new elected ‘boundaries would probab’y be defined, within .the next fortnight or so, is of special interest to the liquor interests of the Dominion. The law arbitrarily enacts that the boundaries of the several electorates shall be readjusted after each census on the basis of the then population. It so happens, in the readjustment of these boundaries, that sometimes (as was the case with Geraldine last year) portions of districts voting for Continuance become incorporated with No-License areas, and that they become subject to the No-License law without the three-fifths majority which is requisite for the carrying of No-License being recorded against them. In the case of Geraldine, indeed, the minority vote placed six hotels outside the pale of license. It seems strange that the Government has not attempted to provide against an injustice of this sort —for it is an injustice, and one that should have been remedied. Again, where portions of a No-License area, in which hotel licenses have been extinguished, are by similar readjustments of boundaries brought within a licensed area, no provision is made for the restoration of extinguished licenses. The Government is again clearly to blame for not providing in its licensing legislation for such contingencies. The law that places great vested interests at the mercy of the Electoral Commissioners is bad and needs amendment, and Ministers ought to be forced to recognise the position. The Prohibitionists are credited with the desire to bring about further amendments of the Licensing law this session. In any amending Bill that may be introduced the liquor interests should insist that provision is also made to remedy these and other injustices that have been placed upon them, almost without protest.