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The Chairman-We will leave it to the Committee to deal with the matter as they choose.
Mr. Moses seconded Mr. Coughtrie's amendment.
Mr. Herbert Smith—I should like to say that it seems to ine that with every amendment we are getting further and further away from the main issue. (Applause.) The Justices have plainly pointed out to the Government what they consider should be done and I am sorry to say that the Government, as usual, bare shirked their responsibility and referred the matter back to the Justices of the Peace. It seems to me that though we are all agreed that the Government have the necessary machinery and should have every wish to put an Ordinance in force to try and ameliorate this trade in inferior drink, that, as the Justices have been distinctly asked, they should act at once, and I would suggest to the gentleman who proposed the first resolution that he might amend it by moving that the Justices now appoint five gentlemen, whose names shall be submitted to the Government, to enquire into and report upon the traffic in these liquors ou condition that they are given all the powers of a Government Commission. (Applause.) I may say that two members of the Government might be put on the Committee, as, for instance, Mr. Wodehouse and Dr. Clark or Mr. McCallum.
Mr. Inchbald supported the suggestion.
Dr. Hartigan, the mover of the first resolution, said he consented to the alteration being made as suggested by Mr. Herbert Smith. The resolution would then read "that the Committee consist of five members and that the Government add two members thereto."
Mr. Herbert Smith-Leave that last part out. We will do it ourselves. The minute distinctly says the Government wish us to appoint the Committee. Why not do it?
Dr. Hartigan-I was informed that the objection to that would be that if we ask for the powers of a Commission we must have Government members.
Dr. Stedman-We can appoiut two officials from amongst ourselves.
The Chairman then put Mr. Coughtrie's amendment to the meeting.
Four Justices voted for it and twenty-two against. The amendment was therefore lost.
The amendment proposed by Mr. Dalrymple was then put to the meeting and lost by 10 votes to 22.
The following original resolution was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously:-
"That this meeting appoint five members to enquire into the question of the working of the liquor laws of this Colony, and that the Government be requested to give such Committee the powers of a Commission."
Mr. Smith proposed and Mr. Ede sccouded that the following Committee be appointed:--Hou. H. E. Wodehouse, Dr. Hartigau, Mr. H. McCallum, Mr. J. J. Francis, q.c., and Rev. R. F. Cobbold.
Carried.
This was all the business and a vote of thanks to the Chairman having been passed the proceedings concluded.
Appendix 8.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
On Saturday afternoon, the 16th April, 1898, a special meeting of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace was held in the Chamber of Commerce Room, City Hall, "for the purpose of considering questions which have arisen in connection with the Commission to enquire into the sale of deleterious liquors" in the Colony. The meeting was convened by circular signed by Commander W. C. H. Hastings, Acting Police Magistrate. Some time ago the Justices of the Peace submitted a series of resolutions to the Government recommending that steps should be taken for the prevention of the sale of injurious liquors in the Colony. A reply was received from the Government, and a meeting of the Justices was held on Thursday, January 31st, to consider this reply. Subsequently a Commission was appointed to go into the subject, and before this Commission evidence was given by the Captain Superintendent of Police, the Hon. F. H. May,
At the meeting on Saturday the chair was occupied by Commander Hastings, and there were also present, Rev. R. F. Cobbold, Dr. Stedman, Dr. Lowson, Dr. Clark, Messrs. G. Murray Bain, J. J. Francis, A. J. May, H. P. Tooker, C. V. Ladds, R. C. Wilcox, C. Ford, E. W. Mitchell, G. Sharp, and C. W. Duggan.
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