LIQUOR BILL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 137, 6 December 1918, Page 3

LIQUOR BILL

PASSED BY THE COUNCIL SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING ACCEPTED The Legislative Council had a busy day yesterday considering the Licensing Amendment Bill. It was 10.30 p.m. before the third reading had been agreed to and the Bill, as amended, was ready for transmission to the House of Representatives. When the Council resumed "consideration of the Bill in Committee, Sir, Francis Bell moved an addition to clause 2 (referring to six o'clock closing). The addition, as stated yesterday, was to continue six o'clock 'closing till 30th June, 1920, and to submit the issue at the general licensing poll. Sir Francis Bell said this would afford an opportunity to both Houses of Parliament for further consideration of this clause. There was a great deal of disaffection owing to the matter having passed in the Lower House by a small majority. He did not wish to exerj'cise any influence on behalf of the Government in this matter, but he suggested that the Council should exercise its privilege of ensuring full consideration. The Hon. J. Barr eaid this Bill was based upon petitions, without respect to the opinions of tie great third party. Yet there were insinuations that the Council should not add anythiug to the Bill. Sir Francie Bell: I have not said so. Mr. Barr said the Leader of the Council would be the last man to do anything that would infringe the rights of the Council—directly. Sir Francis Bell : Or indirectly. ANOTHER REFERENDUM OPPOSED. Mr. Barr said it had been suggested that this wae not the right Bill in which to place this matter. He thought it was. If the clause had not been added in the Lower House, it would have been added in the Council, as six o'clock closing had proved successful. Sir William Hall-Jones failed to see why the Cduncil should refer the clause back to the Lower House in order that that place might reconsider it. The Council was a legislative assembly and should act on its own responsibility. The Hon. J. T. Paul said the proposal to take a poll on six o'clock closing would lead to confusion. He favoured six o'clock closing, but thought it should have been brought about by a special amendment of the Licensing Act. It was foreign to this Bill, and had been insterted without full consideration. Therefore he .would; wish to give the Lower House an opportunity of further consideration, but he would not take the risk of adding another 'issue in the referendum. The motion to add Sir Francis Bell's amendment to clause 2 (six o'clock closing) was rejected by 20 votes to 10, the voting being as follows : — Ayes. (10): Bell, Alison, Buchanan, Garland, Grimmond, Izard, Louifison, Sinclair, Stewart, Wigram. Noes (20) : Aitken, Barr, Earn6haw, Fisher, Fleming, Gow, Hall-Jones, Hardy, Harris, Hawke, Jones, Mac Gibbon, MacGregor, Moore, Paul, Simpson, Te Heuheu Tukino, Thomson, Topi Patuki, Triggs. On the motion that clause 2 be a part of the Bill, ' Sir Walter Buchanan urged that the clause should be rejected in order to afford the opportunity of reconsideration in the Lower 'House. The Hon. W. Earnshaw said that if the House wished to have the clause back, let them aek for it. Clause 2 was carried on the voices. COMPENSATION CLAUSES. In (lie evening the Council went into Committee under instructions to consider and make recommendations' with regard to amendments suggested by a select committee in the compensation clauses. "Maltster's servant" was added to the class of employees who might claim compensation. . The Hon. J. T. Paul moved to strike out the words excluding other than manual workers from compensation. I Sir Francis Bell said th,at if clerks were allowed in they would also open the door to managers and high-salaried employees. The National Efficioncy Board did not provide for compensation, but it was thought fair to grant compensation to persons who were unable to obtain employment at equivalent remuneration because of their being engaged in a particular occupation. Clerks and such general workers would not be so affected. Mr. Paul said that if no clerks were put out of employment there should be no objection to his amendment. Sir Francis Bell said this compensation was going beyond all precedent. It was intended for such persons as barmaids and potmen, whose occupation was closed. The Hon. J. Barr said there was so much "boodle" to be distributed, and he did not see why all should not share in I it. The Hon. C. H. Izard said they should see that compensation was given to all who suffered. The Hon. G. Jones said it was stated that they were opening the door to all sort 3of big claims. Why should they not, when they were providing compensation for the . brewer and the hotelowner who had been making large fortunes ? Their aim should be to act fairly by a"- . , Mr. Paul's amendment was rejected by 21' votes to 5. The majority of the amendments recommended were technical. Included was provision for the following: — Compensation for bottling machinery for wholesale licenses. In the case of country hotels 60 per cent, of the value of land and buildings may be allowed as compensation (instead of 50 per cent, as in the city). This was agreed to, as it was pointed out that in many country properties the building was of the greatest value, and would depreciate to a greater extent than in the town. Where substantial additions or alterations have been made since the Government valuation a new valuation may be taken. \ Where an hotel has been substantially rebuilt within five years, the returns for the period of the new building shall be taken, instead of the whole period. Awards for termination of trade may bo distributed among persons other than hotel licensees where the licensee is carrying on business as manager, servant, or agent for some other person, or tenant or lessee in certain stated circumstances. Sixty per cent, only of awards shall be paid immediately before the aggregate amount awarded in respect of ail claims shall have been ascertained. Compensation may be claimed for depreciation in the freehold of hop-gardens having regard to the fact that hops may still be grown for .export. Direct amendments of clauses were made to the following effect :— The general roll shall be closed on January 6th, 1919. Claims for compensation must be instituted within one month of the coming into force of the,determination. CONSTITUTION OF COURTS. To provide for the representation of i claimants in the compensation court a ' new clause was added, "Inasmuch as i in claims for compensation against the i Crown in ordinary cases the claimant I and the Crown is each entitled to ap- i point an assessor, the appointment ot* I aaseaeoirs shall be bo made, as ia tiw !

I opinion of the Governor-General to en--1 sure that the views of tho classes of claimant and the Crown respectively shall be fairly represented on the Court." Speaking on the third reading the Hon. Geo. Jones said the Council was greatly indebted to the Leader for the way in which the measure had been put through. It had been said that there was something sinister in the way in which the 6 o'clock clauss was inserted. He was able to say that there was not, and that the prohibition leaders did not instigate the introduction of the clause. The speakers who suggested that there was something improper in extending the law under the circumstances were wrong, ho thought. There was no undertaking in that Act that Parliament would not amend the law as it was entitled to do j in respect of 1 any law. It was always •tho right time to do the right thing. If by some insane notion in the minds of a majority of the people prohibition should not be carried they would have a moiety of that which they desired. But it was impossible to regulate tho trade, and in passing this Act they were doing work which would make them all distinguished. The Bill was passed.