LICENSING REFORM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 6

LICENSING REFORM

MEETING OF DOMINION

EXECUTIVE

REPLY TO N.Z. ALLIANCE.

A meeting of the Dominion Executive of. _the' New Zealand Licensing Reform Association was held to-day, when the resolution issued last week was re-af-firmed and the published statement of the vice-president, Mr. D. M. Findlay, had been challenged by the New Zealand Alliance, endorsed. -

The Yen. Archdeacon Williams, Dominion' president, presided, and said that the large majority of the electors would describe themselves as moderates, and that the votes cast for Prohibition included a 1 large number who,; felt obliged to record their objection to certain features brought about by the present licensing laws. On the other hand.many of the votes cast against Prohibition were recorded in the firm hope and belief that Legislative reform would remove such features and would not be long delayed. The object of the" New Zealand Licensing, Reform Association was to bring.about the treatment of this subject on broad, democratic, • and practical lines by. a free Parliament. In the course of this-effort they had been compelled to call, attention to the tactics adopted by the New Zealand Alliance in attempting to secure control of Parliament.' The association had been challenged by the New Zealand Alliance to justify its contentions. He .moved, a resolution, which was carried as follows:—•.-.

(1) That the New Zealand Alliance ■at its conference on: Bth May, 1925, carried- the following resolution:— ' 'That we endeavour to pledge our own voters': that in voting for Parliamentary candidates they -will put Prohibition before party." ; , ■-."■ -: ■ ■;■;-. (2). That the term "Prohibition" used in the resolution admits of no other construction than that-the test to be applied to Parliamentary candidates is. whether or not: they are propared _. to support Prohibition. That the application of this: test to Parliamentary candidates as such can admit of no' Other construction than that the ■;. New Zealand Alliance- is attempting: to secure control of Parliament for the purposes of Prohibition. /.; ' ; :" (3) That-the.New' Zealand' Alliance,: ,- while professing.adherence to the policy of "tho abolition arid prohibition of the liquor traffic by direct vote of the people has at the.same time maintained that the infliction of Prohibi- : tion upon the~ United 'States :by direct i action of fife Legislatures 'was justifiable, and that the-Eighteenth Amendment was in fact "submitted-by aSen- ' ate elected 'directly b/i the -people." (Vide New. Zealand Alliance Handbook,-, 1925, -p.-. 156, also letter: from New Zealand Alliance in' "Evenki" Post" of 29th June).: -^. -,~k '."'■■:?- ---: (4). That such, justification : const:-' tutes an-approval of the method-adopt- ■ ed in< America and endorses the opinion ■■ \\ of this association that if given a : majority, in., Parliament .the Prohibi- ■ tionists .. would use, their .power to. legislate direct for yPr.,hibitiqn.. without further reference to the -people, ■ and r v would justify their action in the; same way as they now justify the. action of the American Legislatures. -'■-... ■" ■> '■'..- ---(5) That the professions of the New Zealand Alliance are valueless,; as wit- -.. ness..that organisation's present active r\ attempt to. induce :Parliament .to "go' : back.. on .the", honourable;; undertaking that 'when .the ,bare majority. ..was granted the. people should in future be given the democratic- right of voting .'.'for-a third, issue of refoi-m. : ,'; ■

(6) That, the New Zealand Alliance was a party to the passing .of 'the Licensing ; Amendment Act of 1918, making provision: that;. ay third issue should be submitted at all future polls/ That no" attempt "was made to prevent the passing into law,of that provision, nor- did the representatives, of -the New Zealand Alliance in ■ Parliament voice any protest against the passing of that section of the Act.:. Further, that the permanency of such provision'l was clearly .'understood 'is shown by -'the' New. Zealand Alliance Handbook. 1925, p. iii., Appendix, as -follows":—''-The amendment of 1918, also provided 'that! ,if Prohibition with;compensation was defeated at the special •poll '(as was the case), then in future the. three fol-

lowing issues should be' submitted to

the electors- of the: Dominion, name-ly, (1) National ■ Continuance, . (2) State Puchase and Control, (3) National Prohibition. This provision'"-is now. in force.", ".. ..'■•■•. :' '. .".'.:- •; '.:"."' (7) That when ,the late Right Hon;' R. J. Seddon introduced clause ix., providing that. No-License should^meah no liquor, the' Rev. John JDawson as president, and the late : Rev;. F. W. Isitt :as secretary of. tho. Prohibition

Part}', issued a manifesto condemning such action on. the .grounds that- it "would bo to establish an odious-"and inquisitorial tyranny utterly: foreign to the fundamental/principles of British law and to the whole spirit of British liberty/ They protested against the •" threatened invasion of the privacy of tho home." ;' the " espionage that clause . ix. would produce.".; the de-

struction of neighbourly relations, and against " the insidious attempt to handicap a great and genuine 7 social reform- by attaching .to :it an unprecedented invasion of private righU." To-day tlio '.: New Zealand Alliance stands unblushingly for that very condition of things its manifesto of that time so strongly condemned. . 18) That the foregoing'provides sufficient evidence to support'- the charge that the professions of th c New. Zeala nd Alliance of to-day are valueless to-

morrow. ■•- ■ ■ ' . .• ■ . . (9) That the New Zealand Alliance at its conference in Maylast passeda rasolyition declaring that,it did notwant legislation during the present, session, thus going on record as delaying the reform of the licensing laws'. ' : Therefore this association challenges the New Zealand Alliance to prove the bona fides of its claim, that it is seeking "such legislation as will.give the people absolute power over the liquor traffic " by ■ joininct in the roquestniade by the Licensinp licform Association that legislation be introduced, without further delay.' ' (10) That the New Zealand Licensinp Rcfoi-m Association repeals its warning in the electors that the return of Parliamentary candidates pledged to tlio New Zealand Alliance will mean an .attempt sooner or later to. legislate direct for Prohibition, and reaffirms its determination to .resist with every means in its. power the insidious attempt to make the people's Parliament subject to the control of an outside organisation.