LIQUOR LAWS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25299, 26 September 1947, Page 8

LIQUOR LAWS

VIEWS ON REPORT OF COMMISSION OPPOSITION FAVOURS REFERENDUM (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. September 25. A complaint that the House of Representatives was entitled to have a lead from the Government was made to-day -by several Opposition speakers in this afternoon’s debate on the report of the Royal Commission on the licensing laws. The Attorney-General (Mr H. G. R. Mason), who opened the debate, said he was less concerned with airing his own views than with hearing those of members generally. The Opposition’s attitude was that in general it opposed nationalisation but that it favoured submitting the proposal of public or State ownership of breweries and licences to a referendum. It also supported the submission of other recommendations of the commission to a vote of the people. Apart from Mr Mason, the Government speakers were back-benchers. Mr G. H. O. Wilson (Palmerston North) claimed that the whole arrangement of hotels in New Zealand was scandalous, and Mr P. Kearins (Waimarino) said there was little slygrogging in the King Country now because the clubs, which were really outside the law, had killed it. The debate was interrupted by the tea adjournment. Minister’s Speech It had been the policy in New Zealand for half a century that major issues in the licensing law should be referred to the people by way of referendum and he felt that that was an enlightened policy, said Mr Mason. While the Government should not shirk the responsibility for taking legislative decisions, there were certain measures on which a Government must be assured of the backing of the people, and that certainly applied to the licensing law and its effects upon social habits. A new issue now would be that of whether, in the event of Continuance’s being voted for, control should be vested in a public corporation as recommended by the commission. The vexed question of a tied house might also be settled by the majority report’s suggestion of a public corporation to take ever the breweries. It was not likely that a bill giving effect to any of the commission’s recommendations would be introduced this year. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland): Next year? Mr Holland also asked what was the Government’s attitude towards a plebiscite on the leading issues involved. Referendum Issues Mr Mason said there was no danger of the Government’s imposing on people reforms which they did not want. The privilege of the referendum would not be prejudiced at all, but consideration would have to be given to the question of how.detailed could be the proposals submitted at a referendum. The task of redrafting the licensing legislation was immense and could not have been undertaken before this debate, but there was good hope of a bill eventuating early next session.

Mr T. C. Webb (Opposition, Rodney) said he had supported prohibition all his life, but he was now convinced that prohibition was not practical, because he did not think it could be enforced without a great body of public opinion behind it For that reason he was against the carrying of prohibition by a bare majority. Mr Webb said the Attorney-General should have expressed some definite views instead of merely inviting them from others. The Opposition favoured submitting to a referendum the commission’s proposal for a liquor manufacturing and sale corporation and, if a vote favoured such a change, the Opposition would facilitate legislation to bring it about. A referendum should also be taken on the question

of the public ownership of licences and breweries. Extension of Hours Mr Webb expressed himself against the extension of hours for the sale of liquor, which he said would increase the volume of drinking in the country. There was need for more latitude in interpretation and enforcement of the law as it applied to special functions and tourists, and in similar cases. Early action should be taken on the redistribution of licences, and one of the reforms needed was that hotels should provide more accommodation for the public. There were many hotels which had developed into drinking houses only and, if they were not prepared to offer accommodation, their licences should be reviewed. Mr Webb said the period of three years between licensing polls was too short, and a longer tenure would encourage the improvement of facilities in hotels.