"THAT COMPACT"

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1927, Page 13

"THAT COMPACT"

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —My controversial opponent has fciade so many excursions into' irrelevant eide-channels that there is a danger that the original point in dispute will fee }losf sight of. We, on our', part, affirm that in 1918 an honourable understanding was arrived at between tho representatives of the N.Z. Alliance and the National Council of the Licensed Trade. We affirm ' that, inter alia, the alliance on its part agreed that no attempt would bo made to altor the ' three-issue, ballot paper while the National Council on its part agreed that nothing would be dona to upset tho licensing poll, should Prohibition be carried. Wo still maintain that this is a correct statement of the position. Mr. Murray asserts that no euch understanding was ever arrived at.' His latest letter appears to urge that if the three-issuo ballot paper was one of the provisions of a draft bill isubmitted to the conference of representatives, then because it was there, thdre was no need for a compact. Ho Bays that if the main provisions were already in a draft bill there was obviously nothing for the representatives to bargain about. If this strange contention were sound it would bo very difficult indeed to know why the At-torney-General called a second confer-eneo-of representatives.

Mr.".Murray knows that during tho year 1918 thero was considerable agitatibnfor reform in tho New Zealand ljc?nsing law... . So widely divergent ■were the opinions held by different portions, of the community that it was obvious that there was no ehanco of such a contentious measure as a licensing Bill being passed unloss some understanding was arrived at between the, two extreme parties. Mr. Murray also knows' that the president of tho alliance and tho legal representative of the National Council had several conferences during the year, and some progress' "Was made. As tho end of tho yoar drew near the Attorney-General had drafted. a Bill to provide for a special referendum, based on tho Efficiency Board's recommendation. To facilitate its passage the Government retained .Messrs. A. S. Adams and 0. Nicholsonvto confer with Sir Francis 8011. This" conference was abortive. !A little later a second conference was called. The question of tho passage of a Licensing Amendment Bill iras now' most momentous. It was a matter of something or, nothing, with tho chances greatly in favour of nothing. ■Ultimately an agreement was arrived at. The alliance leader did not approve tho three-issue ballot paper, but ho conceded, as a quid pro quo for tho concession (afterwards embodied in eection 64, Licensing Amendment, 1918) that, if Prohibition wcro carried, tho licensed trade would■ not- attempt to upset the poll/ Section 6i stands part of the Act to-day. The National Council of the licensed trade has not asked for its repoal. 'It honours its promises. .The three-issuo ballot paper also stands part of tho Act to-day, but the alliance leaders are now asking for its abrogation. They are not honouring the' promises made by their predecessors.

Mr. Murray has written nothing to support his assertion that thero was no compact. I .say, and have.proved from evidence submitted in my letters, that there was a'definite compact agreed upbn. First, it was agreed to meet and discuss the proposals. Both parties agreed to compensation. . They agreed to a three-issue .ballot paper. They agreed not to v oppose the Bill of 1918. Members of both Houses, both Continuance and Prohibitionist, affirmed (vide "Hansard") that thero .was a compact between the trade and the alliance. The hoii. members, whose statements I have previously submitted, were the lato Hon. Samuel, the late Hon. Geo. Jones, Hon. Mr. Paul, Mr. (now Hon.) L. M. Isitt, Mr. (now Hon.) Geo. Witty, Mr. M'Callum, Mr. Payne, Mr. Anderson, Dr. Thaeker, Mr. M'Combs, and Mr.' Alex. Harris. All,,,affirmed their knowledge that a compact was agreed upon. The late Eight „ Hon. Mr. Massey definitely stated: "The . . . bare majority •was not intended to apply to the ordinary licensing question." The facts and proofs are in tho pub-lic-records, and such must havo satisfied your readers of the honesty of our case. Further Jotters on this subject can only end in indefinite reiteration.— I atn, etc.,

J, K. BAW, General Secretary, National Council of the Licensed Trade of N.Z. 3,5 th September.