AN IMPORTANT COMMISSION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 217, 10 June 1944, Page 6

AN IMPORTANT COMMISSION

The importance of the work to be done fully justified the inquiries put by the Leader of the Opposition to the Acting-Prime Minister regarding the promised commission of inquiry into the licensed liquor trade. Mr. Holland took the initiative in this matter during the election campaign, and the widespread interest it evoked undoubtedly was a factor in determining the Prime Minister to promise that action would be taken. With this measure of agreement as to procedure already established the next important steps concern (a) the order of reference for the commission and (b) the personnel of that body. There is a very general realization that the licensing laws of the country need to be thoroughly overhauled, and that, in itself, adds to the necessity for the 'scope of the inquiry being sufficiently wide, and the selection of those who are to undertake the work being such that they will command public confidence. The .suggestion implied in the inquiry made by' Mr, Holland, thqt the order of reference and the proposed personnel of the commission should be made available to him as Leader of the Opposition, will be regarded as eminently reasonable. For one thing that course would tend to emphasize the nonparty nature of the inquiry, and, more particularly if on both matters the party leaders were in agreement, it would do much to ensure that from the very commencement of its work, would enjoy public confidence. This commission will not be simply a fact-finding body. It must inevitably deal with matters of policy, and while, of course, its duty will be to recommend and not initiate changes, the findings should exercise great influence when Parliament deals with the task of legislating on the matter. The greater the degree of public trust and confidence felt in the personnel of the commission, the clearer the fact that it was given ample scope for the discharge of its important duties, then the weightier are its findings likely to be with both Parliament and people. .Viewed from that angle it seems not only reasonable but in every way desirable that there should be that prior understanding and agreement between the party leaders which Mr. Holland's message to the Acting-Prime Minister clearly wishes to establish- If a proposed inquiry of this nature were authorized by the Government and either the order of reference or the personnel of the commission, or both, were deemed by the Leader of the Opposition, who first suggested the setting up of the commission, to be inadequate for the purpose, then public confidence, to no negligible extent, would be lacking.