THE LICENSING LAW.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 205, 30 August 1926, Page 10

THE LICENSING LAW.

CORPORATE CONTROL PROPOSAL. DISSATISFACTION WITH BILL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. The Dominion conference of delegates from branches of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association was held here yesterday. The W , H. W. Williams, Archdeacon of Waiapu, Dominion president, presided. The annual report expressed the hope that the Legislature would see its way to have the issue State purchase and control placed more clearly before the electors. hTe broadmindednese of the association's determination not to seek pre-election pledges from candidates was stressed.

The chairman said that if the third issue was removed from tha ballot paper there should be a substantial and not a bare majority required before a change could be made. True temperance in New Zealand would be achieved only by a determined effort of moderate people.

A resolution was passed protesting against the endeavour of the prohibition party to dragoon Parliament into deleting the middle issue from the ballot paper.

A resolution was passed expressing keen disappointment with the Licensing Act Amendment Bill now before Parliament, and asking the Government to embody the proposals of the special Parliamentary Committee which reported in 1924, after an exhaustive examination of the question.

It was decided to urge on the Government the desirability of substituting the proposal known as corporate control for the existing third issue, State control, thereby providing electors with a sound, practical proposal upon which to exercise their franchise.