THE GOVERNMENT LIQUOR BILL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8580, 6 September 1893, Page 5

THE GOVERNMENT LIQUOR BILL.

A meeting to explain aud protest against the Government Liquor Bill was held iv the Sydenham Oddfellows' Hall last uight, auu whs very largely attended. Mr G. J. Smith occupied the Chair, and briefly opened the buaiueas. He balieved, he sai<i. in the people having absolute control of the traflio. He alluded to the hasto with which tue Bill had passed the Lower House, and hoped the Upper House would throw it out aud that the people would be permitted to settle it. at the next electiou. Air T. E. Tavlor, asserting that the liquor traffic was an uumitigated nuiaance, moved—" i'hat this meeting enters its emphatic protostagaiust the principles embodied in the Government Liquor Bill as being antagonistic to tiie righ.s of the people «ndtlie unconditional control of the liquor traffic, and lespecttuliy urges the Upper House to exercise its function in preventing the most hasty piece of legislation inecolouy has seen from becoming law." He then went ou to speak on the objections to the Bill, holding tuat the taking away of the discretionary power from Licensing Committees was a retrograde step. Tlie alteration in the boundaries was unfair, and the proposals in respect of voting were such that it made all who refrained from voting, prohibitionists or others, vote against the majority, who took the trouble co cast their votes. He then went on to criticise the Hou. \V r . F. Reeves' remarks ou the question of the direct veto, and contended that- if a bare majority were not entitled to refuse licenses then no majority, not even a "&hree-nf tha majority, should. The prohibitionists were prepared to be logical, and say that if a bare majority were not to rule then no majority should, and the liquor traffic should be allowed, to continue in perpetuity. He referred to the fact thu.l the Railway Servants' Society had struck out of their constitution ah reference to the liquor question, bub that would not stop the wave of prohibitiou, nor would the action of the Liberal Association, which had capitulated to the brewers' interests. The Rev. J. N. Buttle seconded the motion, and observed ',hat this question was becoming the leading one of tae day aud that opposition to this Bill was very general. The unrest in Sydenham Had been because the people were dissatisfied with the licensing laws, and that dissatisfaction Was yearly increasing. There was abundant evidence that the Bill was ill considered and hasty in the extreme, and it gave a vested interest in a license for the first time iv the hietory of N&vr Zealand. Under the good behaviour of a man to whom the liceuse was issued, it could hot be taken away for three years. It was'a daugerous feature. He also took objection to the clauses relating to the method of voting. The three-fifths majority required before prohibition could be obtained was not so bad as the feature that made it requisite that half the number of Voters on the roll must vote before a poll could be declared a live one. He concluded by referring to Mr position, and naked the people at tlie next eiecl'on to vdte for measures they considered were for the welfare of the country. (Applause.) The Rev. F. W. lsrrft> speaking of Mr Seddon, said it was hard not to despise a •man' Who one half hour blew hot and another blew cold. Alluding to Mr bieeves, he pointed out that that gentleman had vdted twenty-four timei in ten days, and twentyone of those times he had voted for the liquor interest. The people were now in this positioii that something had to go, either the Government Or the will of the people, and lie feltit'would hot be the will. The Bill was 'an ill-cbusidered piece of legislation inasmuch aa that it Was aecep-' tH'e and cunningly conceived. He spoke at length bu the greatness of the liquor evil aud said that they only wanted the people to have power to try arid remedy it. The he contended, bad stepped between the people and their rights, had diddled them, cheated theni and deceived them, aud he mistook the manhood of the people if they stood it much louger. (Loud applause). lhe Chairman , invited any supporters of j the Bill to speak, if there were any present. ! There was no response, and he put the motion, whicu he declared to be carried unanimously. .(Applause). Mr Taylor moved—" That this meeting j expresses its admiration of the. plucky action of. Mr W. Earnshaw, M.H. 8.., in subordinating th'e interests of his party for principles, as evidenced by his attitude 6n the licensing question, and that the thanks of the people are due to him for for his advocacy of the principle that bare majorities, untrammelled by absurd conditions, should rule." • »V Mr Miller seconded the resolution. The , CHAitiMAK referred to the attitude taken upi by Mr Hall-Jones, the labour member for Titnaru. The motion was carried unanimously. Three cKeers we're , . given for Mr Earnshaw, oae for Sir Robert Stout, aijd the meeting closed.