NO-LIGENSE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2747, 28 February 1910, Page 3

NO-LIGENSE.

THE MOVEMENT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA." The Rev. F. W. Chatterton, Principal of To Ran College, who returned to Gisborne from Australia on Saturday morning, and who is a most enthusiastic worker in the cause of No-License, gave to a. “Times” representative some interesting particulars regarding the licensing laws of South Australia aud the progress of the No-License movement in that State.

While in and/ around Adelaide, he made numerous inquiries regarding the new . Licensing Act and the workings of tlie South Australian 'Temperance Alliance, by which term the -anti-liquor party there is ’known. In Air. Chatterton’s opinion, ike licensing legislation is by no means as far advanced as that of the Dominion. Three issues areput before the electors—Continuance, reduction, and increase of licenses. The latter clause takes the place of the clause In vogue ”in New Zealand, that no licenses be granted, go that the utmost that can be hoped for there, under present conditions, is the carrying of reduction. “However,” continued Mr. Chatterton, “the temperance party are working steadily towards having the legislation brought more on a line with that of the Dominion by having the no-license issue, placed on the ballot paper. The difficulty in South Australia has been tlia-t it is a large wineproducing State, and that has made progress rather .slow.” Another' peculiarity of the licensing laws to which Air. Chatterton drew, attention is the fact, that at general election time no l local option poll is taken, unless a “quorum” of the electors petition that it shall bo an issue. A quorum consists of 500 electors, or one-tenth of the total number of electors residing in the local option district, whichever is the smaller number. The next elections take dace in April, and when Air. Chatterton was there the petitions were beginning to come in. No difficulty was being experienced in obtaiing the petitions, and it was then anticipated that this year there would be a local option poll in almost every electorate.

The question of the employment of barmaids in South Australia has received the attention of the Legislature, and by the Act of 1908 they were practically abolished, and it was provided that, after Alarcli Jlst, 1909, no female other than the wife or daughter of a lioensee should be permitted to serve in any bar-room unless such female* is registered: as a barmaid. The persons entitled to be registered are those who were employed as barmaids in. licensed premises within the district lor not less than three months during the year im_ mediately preceding the passing of the Act. No other person, would be registered or permitted to act as barmaid. In conclusion, Air. Chatterton stated that the secretary of the Alliance in Adelaide was a- most capable and l energetic man of business. It is considered that the temperance, sentiment is distinctly growing, and the. party is quite hopeful for the future. There appears to be little doubt that shortly the “No. License’’ issue will he substituted for that of “increase, of licenses” in the ballot papers, and the temperance party are agitating in the direction of a bare majority vote.