Comment From The Capital Some Busy Weeks Ahead For House

Press, Volume C, Issue 29657, 30 October 1961, Page 12

Comment From The Capital Some Busy Weeks Ahead For House

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Oct. 29. The coming week should give a clear indication whether it is possible for Parliament to complete its work of this session in November. In theory it is still possible to finish by November 17 or 24; but whether this can be done depends largely on the Opposition. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) will not use urgency or the closure excepting in ease of extreme necessity; and a'; the moment, he says, this does not seem likely. The international situation could yet demand his presence in New York before the end of November; but again he has no intention of going unless the need seems imperative. His next overseas trip is likely to be in connexion with the annual conference of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation. which is to take place in Paris next April.

The session may yet make records in legislation passed. In a normal session, between 80 and 100 measures are passed through all stages. Since June 21, when this session commenced, 157 bills have been presented. One of these is the Statutes Amendment Bill, which will be divided later into 35 separate measures; so the total is close to 200, with some measures still to come forward. The Government is det.rmined io proceed with the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, which will be returned to the House by the Statutes Revision Committee next week. Much work will be carried out in the intervening days, and many clearances will be effected; but the passage of this bill is expected to produce the bitterest exchanges of the session. Licensing Bill One measure, now before the Statutes Revision Committee, which is expected to return to the House of Representatives within a fortnight is the Licensing Amendment Bill. It was introduced into the House on October 11 and was the subject of some debate before passing off the Order Paper. The Attorney-General (Mr Hanan) is quietly confident that the bill will succeed in its general aims and that it will tidy up a number of “rough patches" left by the licensing amendments last year. Some other members have expressed regret that legislation connected with licensing tends to come forward at the end of a session, when perhaps the minds of members are on other things This bill has been criticised as being "a body-blow to private enterprise.” It has been suggested that the Government is favouring State control, and that a development of the bill could place the entire liquor industry in the hands of the Government within a decade. Mr Hanan does not see it in this light. Trusts are mentioned only to bring into the Licensing Act provision* which exist in regulations and in the Licensing Trusts Act. No existing rights of trusts are extended and no netg rights formulated.' There is nothing in the bill about State control or about the acquisition of hotels by the State. Sapport For Small Man The bill certainly does provide for the building up of the Licensing Fund, to be used, under the control of the State Advances Corporation, to assist in the programmes of existing licence-holders. This should actually encourage private licences and should support the small man trying to run his own business. When introducing the bill Mr Hanan explained that it was designed first to encourage the provision of better accommodation, and specifically the accommodation hotel. He also said it was designed to improve drinking conditions and he suggested it was unfortunate it might require more effective controls to bring this about: but that in choosing between this course and the toleration of poor service the Government's duty was plain. There has been some criticism of the increased powers given the Licensing Control Commission. These, however, are powers transferred from the licensing committees to the commission, and have not been added to. The Minister can see no reason why licences limited to sales within the trade should not be made freely available. , th* bill Is again before the House, possibly next Wedn esd a y, Opposition members will ask why the bill does not impose a levy on an * r « a ‘ will be that the profits of a tavern operated by a liquor trust would go automatically to support the accommodation hotels in the trust area According to the Government. there is a vast difference between a tavern operated by a district trust and one under the general licensing system: the general tavern. if exemnt from lew would be under no obligafion to assist the accommodation side.