LICENSING REFORM

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 22, 26 July 1927, Page 15

LICENSING REFORM

ASSOCIATION'S YEAR

INTERESTS OF TEMPERANCE

Tho third annual report of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association, states that the year commenced with a credit balance of £122 .7s 9d, and concluded -with a credit balance of £205 Ss (id.

"The expected legislation cm licensing matters," states the report, " was introducteu before the last conference met, and delegates thereat had the opporportumty of examining tno Uiit aud making proposals ' for its amendment and extension. The minutes record the fact tnat the conference expressed its keen disappointment with the provisions of the JJill. It had been fully anticipated that the recommendations for practical reform made by the special Parliamentiir Committees alter examinations of the questions covering many years, would have been included, in addition to this the several additional sound and practical proposals made by this association were expected to have been submitted for the consideration o£ the House. Acting on the instructions of the last conference, the executive immediately prepared a series ot amendments to bring about the incorporation in the Licensing Act of the practical reforms above referred to. The Bill, however, had a very short life, for after its first reading the Government, yielding to the truculent demands and threats of the Prohibition Party, withdrew the measure. '"This means that we are now iv practically the same position as we were at the last conference, except at that time a Bill of sorts had actually been introduced. The association has now V.:e opportunity of making renewed representations to Government to adopt the beneficial reforms embodied in our proposals, and to deal with licensiug legislation in the interests of temperance as against the pernicious proposal of prohibition. The conference will be asked to decide what steps should be taken. PARLIAMENTARY PLEDGES. "It will be remembered that in the last annual report reference was made to the rumours that the prohibitionists claimed to have a majority of members of Parliament pledged to carry out their instructions. This has now developed into an open boast on the part of the prohibitionists. At a recent deputation to the Prime Minister their speakers clearly stated that they had a majority of the members of Parliament pledged to them, and demanded that a Bill containing their proposals should be introduced at once, and that the forms of the House should not be permitted to be used to prevent the passing of their particular brand of legislation. If the Government yields to this demand it will simply mean the yielding of* the powers and authority of the people's Parliament to the control of a minority outside the House. The attention of delegates is drawn to the far-reaching possibilities of such a pernicious syst?m\ Jt ~wi" be remembered that at the last General Election this association requested the'various party leaders and the individual candidates to refuse to Ejedgo themselves to any organisation on the subject of licensing legislation. We did not seek any pledge ourselves, and asked merely that the members of Parliament should keep themselves free to approach licensing legislation, when it came before them in Parliament, with a free hand and deal with in the interests of the country as a whole. Even if the moderate section -were ir» a minority (which they are not) the Government of the day would have a moral responsibility to protect them from such detrimental results as folloiv political intrigue and the control of Parliament by an outside organisation. But seeing that the prohibitionists are, and have been, election after election, in an increasing minority, it is nothing short of farcical that they should be permitted to dictate the policy of Government and the activities and procedure of Parliament. "Delegates will be asked to reconsider the question of the attitude of this association to candidates for Parliament in view of the recent development above referred to. TESTS OF PROHIBITION. ''Delegates will have noted that prohibition has proved, and is proving, a complete failure wherever attempted throughout the world. Since our last conference it has been abandoned in Norway and in further Canadian provinces. After seven years of trial, America is now socially and morally in worse condition thun before tho commencement of national prohibition. Capitaf is made by the prohibitionists of the apparent financial prosperlty of tho United States, but every Britisher knows that this is due in the first part to her position as a creditor nation in tho World 'War. The position in Canada is that, with tho completion of the recent action of the Provincial Legislature of New Brunswick, there will remain only two dry provinces—Nova Scotia anil Prince Edward Island, and the Premier of Ihe latter has already signified his intention of fighting an election campaign this year on a Government control platform. Perhaps the most dramatic feature of this reversion of Canada %>m' the experiment of prohibition to the legalised manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors is, in the case of Ontario, where, at the end of the lust year, Premier. Korgusori'p Government went to tho country on the policy of substituting a system of State control for the existing system of prohibition. The result wus a sweeping victory over tho prohibition forces; Mr. Ferguson secured 74 seats out of 112, giving him a' majority of 4(1 in the Legislature of Ontario. At tho Quebec elections, held in May this year, Mr. L. A. Taschereau's Government, which instituted State control following on an extended trial of prohibition some years ago, swept the province and captured 72 seats out of S5, which is an indication of tho satisfaction of the people with the Quebec liquor law and its administration.

"These striking testimonies to the success of a moderate policy in regard to liquor legislation iv tho interests of temperance, and tlic approval shown by the peoples affected, should give encouragement to the Government and Parliament of New Zealand to set aside the extreme demands of the prohibitionists and proceed to legislate fearlessly in the interests of all people in. the Dominion. Prohibition has' been definitely discredited; let \w etideavonr.tp'do something through'the Legislature in the interests of true temperance. "The Dominion Executive wishes to place on record its appreciation of the loyal support of tho branches and members throughout New Zealand, and trusts that by a continuation of united effort the reforms aimed;at will speedily be brought about, and the' possibility of prohibition being inflicted on this fair Dominion removed from the sphere of practical politics."