A WELCOME COLLAPSE,

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 62, 10 September 1904, Page 4

A WELCOME COLLAPSE,

Tho sudden collapse of tho debate on the second reading of the Licensing Amendment Bill yesterday came as a great surpriso 19 the House and to the country, and though many of tho extreme opponents of the measure may bo somewhat chagrined by the result, we think that on reflection even they should see ground for sharing tho general satisfaction. As we noted yesterday, there was an air of unroality about the whole proceedings on Thursday night, and neither tho Premier nor his antagonists woro in full fighting form. But a prolonged debate must necessarily have resulted in less peaceful developments, and if the Premier had insisted on tho subject being discussed till 5 o'clock in tho morning, tho bitter polemics of last year's debate would inevitably havo been repeated. It may bo, as r Mr. Taylor stated to our reporter last' week, that from tho Prohibitionist standpoint tho Bill is a worse measure than its predecessor ; but he will at least admit that tho most objectionablo features aro confined to fewer clauses, and he mentioned in tho Houso yesterday that tho proper stage for dealing with these was in Committee. The Btirring of angry passions in tho debate on tho second reading would only have assisted to cloud the issues and to incapacitate members from anything but further quarrelling at tho later stages, but they will now bo ablo to approach the discussion of tho details without heat or bitterness. When the Bill is considered in Committco we* take tho position to be this : If Mr. Seddon makes a sine qua non of the cflriy clauses abolishing the reduction vote and establishing two new absurd and confusing referendums,,wo think that tho mofl-erate men of the House?, who undoubtedly hold tho balance of power, will turn the scale ngainat the Bill ; but should Mr. Taylor a.nd his friends make tliese revolutionary clauses a ground for a factions opposition to every line of tlie whole Bill, then they may put tho moderate section iigain&t them, and enable Mr. Seddon to effect what with reasonable management he will never be allowed to do. The "Miscellaneous Amendments of tho Licensing Law" contain a nuniber of valuable provisions which are obscured at present by their association with such absurdities as Clause 9; but if Mr. Seddon is reasonable and the Prohibitionists aro reasonable, tho necessary separation shonld be effected, and the regulation of the trade improved without wrecking the whole system 6f local option.