The Government and Licensing Reform

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21904, 3 October 1936, Page 14

The Government and Licensing Reform

On Thursday the Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives referred to the Government, on the ground that a question of policy was involved, three petitions asking for an amendment to the Licensing Act to enable licenses to be granted to tourist hotels. Although the committee’s action was. in effect, an invitation to the Government to declare itself on the licensing issue, the Ministers present in the House preferred to maintain a discreet and significant silence. An interjection by the Prime Minister, however, showed clearly enough the reason for their silence. Mr W. A. Bodkin was protesting that “ only a simple “ amendment of the act was needed ” when Mr Savage interposed: “It would only be a simple “ amendment of the act, but it would be g de- “ deration of war at, the same time.” Unless we mistake his meaning, Mr Savage is announcing that the Government prefers to evade the licensing issue rather than risk antagonising that powerful minority which, because it wants prohibition and cannot get it, is determined to prevent any reform of the licensing system. In this, of course, the present Government is no worse than most of its predecessors. One or two governments have been bold enough to propose reforms; but they have invariably been prevented from proceeding with them by the discovery that a majority of members of the House were pledged against licensing reform. Fortunately there are signs that the influence exercised over Parliament by an organised minprity Is beginning to irritate that large body of electors which is thoroughly weary of the anomalies, the injustices, and the social evils which result from the licensing deadlock. The Government member for Westland mentioned in the House on that, although the tourist hotel at the Fox glacier has no license and,, as the law stands, cannot be granted a license, the small mining town of Kumara has nine licenses. The electors of have voted for hj restoration of licenses in their district, but the licensing law makes it impossible for their will to become effective. Year after year magistrates, in their capacity as chairmen of licensing committees, call attention to the scandalous state of many hotel buildings. Yet no real improvement in hotel buildings can take place until the licensing statutes, which the Privy Council has called “ a jungle of legislation,” have been reduced to some sort of rationality. It is high time the will of the people prevailed over- skilfully-organised obstruction by the few.