LICENSING LEGISLATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 248, 18 October 1924, Page 48 (Supplement)

LICENSING LEGISLATION.

PROTEST AGAINST DELAY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON', this day. The Dominion executive of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association tins aiternoon adopted the following resolution, a copy to be forwarded to the Prime Minister: "That the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association views with alana the suggestion reported to be made by the Prime Minuter that the paseage of the Licensing Bill might be deferred until next session. It strongly urges that this matter be finally dealt with at once on the following grounds: (1) That proposals for reform have now been under the consideration of a special committee of Parliament for three years; (2) that the recommendations of the Parliamentary Licensing Committee, as tabled, constitute in most features a real and practical rdform of the licensing system; (3) that the Prime Minister definitely promised in October of 1022 that ii prohibition wae not carried at the then approat-hing poll there would be a licensing bill nest session, with the object of putting the Kquor traffic oil a more satisfactory footing- from the people's point of view than it had occupied for many a long year; (4) that the electors have been looking for this promise to be fulfilled, and that all the organised parties are anxious to have the matter fully dealt with without further delay; (5) that to defer legislation to next session would be manifestly unfair to all the interests concerned in the licensing question, as it would leave the matters in a state of uncertainty at a time when the electors should be in a position to know exactly what they would be required to vote on at the referendum, and would render it too late for any educative campaign to be undertaken. "Further, the association respectfully urges that in the licensing bill to be introduced this session, the corporate control proposal be substituted for the present third issue of State purchase and controL"