Evening Post. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1898. THE LIQUOR QUESTION IN THE HOUSE.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 19, 22 July 1898, Page 4

Evening Post. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1898. THE LIQUOR QUESTION IN THE HOUSE.

» A good deal of time was wasted in the Uouso last night in discussing a single subsection of Mr. Millar's Licensing Bill. The little band of Prohibitionists are evidently determined to block tho measure as long as possible, since their voting strength is not sufficient to destroy it. Those tactics are perfectly legitimate from their point of view, but they must necessarily delay public business. It in greatly to be regretted that the liquor question should loom so large in the political life of tho colony, ami ull reasonable mon must earnestly desire somo ponnanont sotllomont of the law which will prevont tho constant recurrence of these comparatively uselosn debates. The liquor laws themselves and their methods of administration undoubtedly call for amondinent. Both licenced victuallers and Prohibitionists are dissatisfied with the present ntate of tho law, and tho ordinary unbiased public rcsontu the way it is broken, and in becoming heartily sick of tho mutual recriminations so persistently bandied about by " the Trade" and its opponents. Very few in the colony are not really desirous of putting down excessive drinking as far as possible, but the best means of effeoLing this purpose is not easy to discovor. The Trade has its vested iulerests to consider, and cannot, therefore, be considered an impartial judge of the situation. Prohibitionists, on the other hand, have devoted themselves, to the verge of fanaticism, against liquor in all forms, and their opinion is consequently as 'much warped as that of the hotelkeepers themselves. The real solution of the problem must depend ultimately on the moderate majority who have no connection with the Liquor Trade on the one hand, aud no h.y6terical sympathy with Prohibition ou the other. The verdict of that majority has recently jbeen expressed very decidedly in the House. The Bill introduced by Mr. G. J. Smith on behalf of the New Zealand Alliance was dismissed on the second reading with somewhat scant courtesy, and last night various amendments which sought to embody in Mr. Millar's measure principles enunciated iv Mr. Smith's Bill were ultimately condemned by the House. Colonial option, a prominent plank in i,he Prohibitionist platform, finds no favour with the representatives of the people, and the feeling of the House is evidently strongly adverse to a bare majority decision on the questions of local and colonial optiou. Prohibition, whether local or national, must, as we have before maintained, prove not only a dead-letter but a constant cause of disputes and quarrels —more especially if the Temperance Party are to resort to a system of| espionage not unlike the Russian secret police or the delaiores of Rome's degenerate days—unless it is supported by a strong and fixed public opinion. A bare majority cannot ensure this backing, aud for that reason, if for no other, we should be sorry to see the present three-fifths majority changed. Colonial option also is a matter of such importance to the social life "of a large section of the community and to the finances of the colon)' that it should not be at the mercy of a catch plebiscite of the .people., The great thing to be aimed at in our liquor legislation is finality—something that will prevent the subject from assuming the totally improper proportions it has frequently assumed in politics during recent years. The most important of the questions discussed and voted upon last night was the abolition of the reduction vote at the local polls. This provision appeared Jn Mr. Smith's Bill aa well as in Mr. Millar's, and there was some justification for Mr. Montgomery's charge of apparent, collusion between the extremists on both sides to deprive the moderate elector of hisj right to vote for reduction without abolitionf in the districts he thought required thffl number of licensed houses to be reduced^ There is a great deal to be said on this point. The moderate man does not wish for the complete abolition of hotels, but he often does wish for the suppression of second-rate houses aud lessening the temptation to drink afforded by the number of open bars. The Prohibitionists will not force him into their camp by striking out the reduction clause, uor will the licensed victuallers gain much by the manoeuvre, for if the houses in any district become objectionable in number ov otherwise to the average citizen he will vote for abolition instead of retaining licenses, and this if carried would be a great hardship to well-managed houses, and in some respects a great iuconvenience to many inhabitants of the district. The issue cannot be made a straight-out one between the present number of licenses ,and total prohibition, for, as far as we can gather, the bulk of our colonists will not constantly support either extreme, but will bo forced to fluctuate according to, what they consider the needs of their district. In these ciroumstances it would seem that Mr. Smith's proposal to give greater discretionary powers to Licensing Committees is worthy of consideration. A more carefnl supervision of licensed houses is necessary, and tho law as it stands should be more strictly enforced. The future prospects of Mr. Millar's lumisura are somewhat shrouded in mystery, owing to the failure of its supporters to oavry it through the Committee staga last night. Their practical acceptance of an adjournment of the debate wjis tantamount to risking tho life of tho measure. What is tho reason for this movo f Has the Premier found thb Bill bo little opp'osml in thollousa that he is \villiu& to tftko it under tho shield of the Govomninnt, and olthor Rive Mr. Millar special facilities, or also introduce v Government measure instead of the Bill now before the House ? Perhaps the temper of tho House has enabled tho Premior to step down from his stile into the vineyard of tho liquor interest.