St. Albans Candidate’s View On Hotel Hours

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30286, 12 November 1963, Page 15

St. Albans Candidate’s View On Hotel Hours

Mr J. Palmer, the Labour candidate for St Albans, made frequent use of a water jug and glass at his opening meeting last evening. “And in that case it is a good idea that you stick to water,” said the chairman (Mr R. M. Mac. farlane, M.P.) when Mr Palmer answered a question on licensing. One of the audience of more than 100—“ a tribute to the candidate when you consider television,” Mr Macfarlane commented—asked for the Labour Party’s policy on 10 o’clock closing of hotels. “Nothing will be done without a referendum of the people,” Mr Palmer replied. “No government should take on itself a decision on this issue.

“As far as I am concerned personally. I think the hours for drinking are too liberal now." Most of Mr Palmer’s address was spent in reading the official policy of the Labour Party, which he described as “pretty good.” He gained applause for the policy paints on the abolition of the compulsory militarytraining system and his party’s promises to protest against nuclear tests in the Pacific and to work for world disarmament. Cost of Living While the National Government had said it was going to hold the cost of living it had increased the bulk charge for electricity, suburban railway fares, and telephone rental and tolls charges, he said. AU these had contributed to an increase in the cost of living. The Government had shown that it was just not good enough to govern the country, he said. An interjector: Just like the old horse and dray. “There has been precious little in the way of action,” Mr Palmer continued. ‘The Labour Party will get New Zealand moving. We cannot afford an administration ‘hat is content to govern under sedation.” A Labour government would honour the obligations

of the National Government to complete the Cook Strait cable, he said, but it would not authorise a second link until there had been adequate investigation of the results of the first. “How much better it would be to get industries, particularly those which use a large amount of electricity as a raw material, to come down to the South Island,” he said. Of his party’s policy to assist church and other organisations providing for the welfare of the aged, Mr Palmer said: “They are doing a wonderful job, and it is not a cheap job to look after aged people who need nursing as well as domestic . care. They are deserving of | additional help, and a Labour i government will give it to ' them.” “Not a Communist” When taxed by a questioner with attending a conference in Australia which had been “Communistinspired,” Mr Palmer replied that if there was any step to lessen world tension then he would not regard it as retrograde. “I am certainly not a Communist, if that is what you imply.” he added. Mr Palmer, like every other Labour candidate, had pledged support to the Labour Party and could not be identified with any other party, Mr Macfarlane said. When asked by a war pensioner where there was a doctor who did not charge a fee additional to the social security payment, Mr Palmer advised him: “See me later and I will recommend a doctor who will charge you 7s 6d and no more.” “What’s his address?” another member of the audience asked. After he had read the official policy, Mr Palmer said that while the Labour Party had undertaken to reduce some taxation and to provide additional benefits and holidays, this would not be possible unless workers and producers alike made every effort to increase the national productivity.