It shall be lawful for the municipal issuing authority of any municipality in which a referendum has been held pursuant to the provisions of Revised Statutes, section 33:1-45, wherein a majority of the legal voters of said municipality voted “No,” to issue a club license as defined in and regulated by subparagraph five of section 33:1-12 of the Revised Statutes, to any constituent unit, chartered or otherwise duly enfranchised chapter or member club of a national organization or association which is in possession of suitable premises and which is operated for benevolent, charitable, fraternal, social, religious, recreational, athletic, or similar purposes, and not for private gain, and which comply with all conditions which may be imposed by the director of the division of alcoholic beverage control in the department of law and public safety.

This law shall not be effective after August first, one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine, except, however, that any national club, organization, or association, or any constituent unit chartered or otherwise duly enfranchised chapter thereof holding a license issued by said municipality previous to August first, one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine, shall be entitled to retain said license and any renewals thereof regardless of the provisions of this act.

L.1949, c. 255, p. 819, s. 1, eff. May 25, 1949.