THE LICENSED TRADE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18129, 19 July 1924, Page 17

THE LICENSED TRADE.

TRIENNIAL POLLS. "For over 28 years the licensed trade has had to £ght every third year for its existence, and to-day ite majority i 8 greater than it haß been for many years. How long is the country going to put up with thia intolerable state of affirs in order to keep a body of paid agitators going?" It was with these words that the chairman of the New Zealand Breweries Ltd., Mr A. S. Bankart, prefaced a 6trong plea for greater security of tenure tor the liquor business, when speaking at the annual meeting of the company at Wellington this week. . "If the Prohibition Party aro willing to expend upon these people £24,857 per annum," he continued, "that is, of course, their business, but the licensed trade is entitled to some protection from the Government. The assaults of this party upon a legitimate business have to be met, and every three years large sums of money wasted which might with advantage be expended on permanent buildings. I have no means of knowing what amount has been so wasted by these contending parties during the past 28 years, but I venture to say that it is sufficient to have erected in each of the four centres of the Dominion, buildings which would be equal to the famous hotels erected in Canada by the C. P. Railway. "1 do not for one moment suggest that the right to (vote on the question should be withdrawn from the electors, but I do say that the intervals at which this vote can be taken should be much longer than three years. Parliament is now in session, and we are looking forward to the introduction of legislation which will affect our trade. It is not my province to refer to the life of Parliament, but I may perhaps be pardoned if I suggest that in my personal opinion triennial Parliaments' are all top short, and that an extension of quinquennia] Parliaments would be of advantage to the country. ' The vote on the National Referendum on the licensing question might then be taken every other general election." Mr Bankart said population was increasing and hotels decreasing in number, that conditions should be altered, and that the question of tenure was perhaps the most important that required to he made.