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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

[introduction]

Every electorate in New Zealand is also a licensing district, and district committees administer the licensing laws. Formerly licensing courts were in vogue, but under the Licensing Act of the year 1881, these were abolished, and elective committees of five members were substituted. These bodies are endowed with the power of granting, renewing, or refusing licenses, and applications for transfers of licenses must be submitted to them. On the day of the general elections, every three years, a poll is taken on the licensing vote, three issues being submitted to the voter, viz., “continuance, reduction and no-license.” A bare majority of votes may carry reduction, but a three-fifths majority is required to carry no-license. In districts where no license has been carried—under the Amendment Act of 1904—no licenses of any sort are to be granted and in these districts a three-fifths majority is required to carry restoration of licenses. The Napier Licensing Committee meets on the first Monday in the months of March, June, September, and December. The Stipendiary Magistrate and the Clerk of the Court are, ex-officio, Chairman and Clerk respectively of the Licensing Committee. The present elective members of the Napier Licensing Committee, who were elected in 1906 for a term of three years, are: Messrs H. J. Holder, C. D. Kennedy, G. A. Mac-donald, J. J. Niven, and Henry Williams.