THE LICENSING BILL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11730, 3 November 1903, Page 6

THE LICENSING BILL.

, OPPOSITION IS THE HOUSE

• ARRANGEMENTS FOR A STONEWALL. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, November 2. A member of the Cabinet informs mo. vliat tho Licensing Bill will make its appearaace again early this week, and it J 3 .understood that the Government intend to make a big effort to put it through. The prohibition party had a meeting to-day, mid made arrangements to light the Bill clause by clauso from the. start, so that there is every prospect of an exceedingly lively time, whue the end of the session is farther off than evesr. Interest in the Bill seems to be thoroughly aroused in the country, and members are being bombarded with telegrams, urging them to oppose or support the Bill. One member, representing an Auckland constituency, received between sixty and seventy telegrams, inostiv urging him to oppose Hie Bill. If the House goes into Committee on the Bill to-morrow, which is quite likely, and the Government persevere with it, the House will in all probability be sitting continuously until Saturday at midnight. 'Hie Temperance party is to be divided into three wings—one led by Mr T. Taylor, another by Mr Laurenson, and a third by Mr McNab. A PROTEST MEETING. (SPECIAL TO "TIIK riIESS.") DUXEDIX, November 2. The public meeting held to-night to discuss the Licensing Bill was most enthusiastic, the Garrison Hall being crowded to the doors. The Rev. Hewitson (chairman) said the Premier posed as the leader of Democracy, but it would be hard to find a. man who was more autocratic than Mr Seddon. Some of the legislation of the Government was most favourable to temperance work, but there was no greater friend of the "trade" than Mr Seddon. Mr A. S. Adams read letters of sympathy from Mr Bedford and Mr Arnold, M.H.R.'s, and attacked Mr Millar, who voted for the Bill. Mr Millar, in rep'y to a resolution passed at one of the churches, telegraphed:—"l don't sacrifice principles for votes. I believe in trying to do unto others as they do unto me." Mr Adams said Mr Millar owed his entrance to the House to his pledge to the temperance party. It was not a question of prohibition v liquor, but a question of the rights of a free people. The Bill was drawn up in the interests of tho "trade," which had been hit hard by the reduction vote. The proposals with regard to the native race were a standing blot on the honour of the colony. Tho Rev. 'Saunders said if Mr Seddon did not let this measure go, tho country would let him go; ho was endeavouring to thwart a movement towards righteousness, by introducing a measure for the prohibition of liquor in all homes. After that ho thought it was time they should give up the name of prohibitionists and tall themselves "No-licensers." Resolutions were passed, protesting against the Bill, and requesting Mr MasBey, Leader of the Opposition, to protect the rights of the people. Tho Rev. Fairelough referred to the question of whether tho temperance party should not organise themselves on a political basis. What wtts needed to harden up the temperance party and make them stand shoulder to shoulder was Mr Sneddon's Bill. When the temperance party was organised on a political basis, politics not very long after would be organised on a temperance- basis. Dr. Delatour said that the. time had arrived -when it should bo made a political question from A down to Z.

At public meetings held in Invercargill, Nelson, and New Plymouth last night, resolutions condemning tho Bill Avere passed. The Taranaki County Council yesterday resolved to protest against clause 14. Resolutions of protest against Hie Licensing Bill were passed by religious congregations in various places throughout the colony on Sunday. Telegrams from Wauganui, Feilding, Ashburton, Dunedin, Timaru, Carterton, and Invercargill have been received giving tho text of the resolutions, which generally condemned the Bill us being retrograde and undemocratic. Similar resolutions were jessed on Sunday evening at St. Andrew's (Christehurch), St. Peter's (Ferry road), and the Sydenham Presbyterian Church. The Christchurch Ministers' Association yesterday passed a resolution urging the Premier to withdraw the Bill.