LIQUOR LEGISLATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 139, 9 December 1918, Page 3

LIQUOR LEGISLATION

FINAL STAGES OF BILL THE ALLEGED "BRIBE" TO THE TRADE. On Saturday night the House of Representatives accepted the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Licensing Amendment Bill. Mr. M'Combs (Lyttelton) made the following explanation of his recent statement* regarding a "bribe" to the Trade : — "My statement regarding the necessity of a bribe to the Trade in order to secure the passage of licensing legislation through the House had no reference whatever to the attitude of the New Zealand Alliance. 1 referred solely to the fact that the composition of the House and the weakness of the National Government made it impossible to get i any licensing legislation dealt with on I its merits or to get a vote at all withont the offer of compensation, and without other demands of the Trade being granted. The New Zealand Alliance did not, so far as I am aware, enter into any compact whatever with the Trade, and I repeat I was not referring in any way to the Alliance or its attitude." The Hon. A. M. Myere said he had not spoken on the Bill. He resented th« imputation that the Trade had accepted a bribe. Under the existing law, in the event of prohibition, the Trade would have a respite for 44 years. Mr. M'Combs : Not in the case of nolicense under local option. i The Minister admitted this point. Ho ! declared that the estimate _of £4,500)000 compensation was a capitalisation of only two years' running of the Trade, I on the National Efficiency Board's computation. The proposal in the Bill had been introduced in accordance with 'the | National Efficiency Board's recommendations. Therefore, the words of Mr. M'Combs were unwarranted, and he should withdraw them immediately^ COMPENSATION. Mr. Lee (Oamaru) said that the' amendments made in the Council would have the effect of increasing compeusation. Mr. Malcolm (Clutha) .indicated that a responsible legislator in "another place' J (in the Legislative Council), had stated that the compensation might be increased by the operation of the amendments. Mr. Massey «aid that the AttorneyGeneral was a Prohibitionist. The purpose was to assure fairness. The At-torney-General was not a man likely to be influenced by either party., The Legislative Council had act up a committee to hear evidence, and the new'proposals were the sequel. The Council had no power to increase the total amount of compensation A member asked why the new suggestions were not in the original Bill. Mr. Massey replied that it was not practicable to arrive at the new proposals till the original Bill had been discrused in the House.

' The Prime Minister deduced evidently from an interjection that there was a suspicion that he himself had been influenced. liT don't like these suggestions," he declared. He would like to drop the Bill now, if such insinuations were made.

Referring to the ntatement of Mr. M'Combs he said :. "It is like the hon. member for Lyttelton; I leave it at that,"