LIQUOR INDUSTRY IN N.Z.

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27499, 5 November 1954, Page 14

LIQUOR INDUSTRY IN N.Z.

Presbyterian Church Discussion TRUST CONTROL MAT BE SOUGHT (New Zealand Press XnociattM) WELLINGTON, Novembtr 4 The Presbyterian Church may aik the Government for trust control of the entire New Zealand liquor industry. This was proposed at a meeting today of the Presbyterian General Assembly at Wellington on the motion of the Rev. R. S. Anderson, convenor of its temperance committee. “Alcohol is a poison with a narrow margin of safety,” said Mr Anderson. “Its evils are intensified by the manner in which the liquor trade is at present constituted and conducted.” The making of profits dominated file trade, he continued. A wealthy and powerful organisation was entirely concerned to increase the consumption of liquor, regardless that such increase was detrimental to the national welfare. The committee felt that only by trust combine could some of the evils of the industry be reduced. A vast, ruthless monopoly was growing up, Mr Anderson said. Even 10 years ago 19,000,000 out of 24,000.000 gallons of liquor produced in New Zealand was in the hands of trust companies, while 28 firms shared the remaining 5,000,000 gallons. Mr Anderson said that the commission of inquiry into the liquor industry recommended that all New Zealanders be given a chance to vote for trust cohtrol. The Government should be appealed to to obey euch a referendum where it had taken place. At the approaching national licensing poll, said Mr Anderson, a vote for continuance was in effect a vote not only for continuance of the availability of liquor, but also for the continuance of the liquor trade in its present system. After nearly two hours’ discussion the following motion was passed.— “That in the event of continuance being carried at the approachins national licensing poll, the following proposals be sent down to presbyteries and sessions for consideration and report: that representations be made to the Government for a special referendum on the question of corporate or trust control of the liquor trade; that to ensure that these representations have the greatest possible weight, negotiations be opened with other branches of the Church and other bodies of like mind with ourselvea in this matter, -with a view to joint action.” '