ANOTHER BILL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 121, 24 May 1928, Page 12

ANOTHER BILL

LICENSING QUESTIQN BARE MAJORITY ASKED MR. COATES NERVOUS The resolutions of the Annual Conference of the New Zealand Alliance were placed before the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health to-day by a deputation somo hundreds strong. In particular the speakers asked for tho bare ma- - jority, a two-is.uo ballot paper, the introduction of a, . Licensing Bill • early in tho coming session, and that' it be given a free passage. In reply, Mr. Coates said ho. considered it his duty to cnablo Parliament again to consider the question, and confessed nervousness lest Prohibition, if passed, should . not bo fully complied wtili. - The deputation was briefly introduced by Mr. J. M'Combs,-M.P. '". The president of the-alliance (Air. ' Charles Todd) said their organisation was composed of people from all sections of tho community, and of all shades of political and religious views. They stood for the principlo of the , bare majority. Mr.' Coates . himself had confessed last session that the third issue on the ballot paper was not now a live ono. They asked for the third issuo to be removed; that a Bill be brought before Parliament early in the coming-session, that it be given a freo passage through the House, and that , the Prime Ministor should put his in-. iiuence behind it —(applause)—so that1 once and for all tho New Zealand plectors might be able to settle the liquor traffic, question on a straight "Yes" or "-No" vote. There could be no middle course.1 "ROBBED OF VICTORY." "We were robbed of,our victory last .. scssioniin the Upper House," said Mr. Todd. "That perhaps can be obviated in the coming session. (Applause.) We wero very disappointed with the fate of last year's' Bill. You, yourself, Mr. Coates, promised that' the Bill would have a fair run in the Lower House, and we assumed that it would in the . Upper House. I think your specific language to me was that the Bill would go right through." He expressed the , opinion that the Bill had not had a fair deal. IN DEADLY EARNEST. ■-i Last year's Bill, he said, had proposed a 55-45 pqr cent, majority for , the carrying of Prohibition. That meant that for every 100 Continuance voters, the Prohibitionists would have -to secure 122.2 voters to gain Prohibi- '. tion—a tremendous handicap. Mr. Coates had also proposed in his Bill taking a referendum at alternate General Elections. The speaker pointed out that if the lifo of Parliament were increased to four or five years, there would then bo eight or ten years between polls on tho liquor question, and ,in the event of a dissolution a poll might not be taken for twelve years. That would mean the disenfranchisement of a quarter of a million: now voters. "I wish you to understand, sir," he' 'said, "that wo are in deadly earnest. (Applause.) This thing is going to be ended. We demand that in a democratic country like New Zealand this very important question be settled by a plain 'Yes' or 'No' vote. Wo are going to press for that so long as we have strength and energy to do so." '' EdbNOMIC WASTE. ' * Mrs. T. E>-Taylor, Dominion president of the W.C.T.U., said the women of New Zealand felt that they had como to the point where they must have the opportunity of dealing logically and fairly with the liquor question. Mr. Coates must realise the economic waste of spending £8,000,000 to £9,000,000 every year upon alcohol, the harmful effects of which were generally recognised. Alcohol was a racial poison, and they wished to have the opportunity of ridding tho country of it and putting it out of reach of the many young men who. were becoming addicts. In support of her plea she referred to the effect of alcohol on the children of addicted parents. ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THE COUNCIL. The alliancoc general secretary (Mr. C. E. Edmonds) presented to the Ministers the resolutions passed at the annual conference, as published under soparate headings in this issue., and explained the views of conference in regard to them. Referring to the fate of the Bill of 1927, he said that as far as practical results were concerned the „ position was unchanged. As there was a danger of the real issues being cloud,ed in the'discussions, he said they wanted to state what they considered the fundamental facts. Licensing legislation could be divided into two main soctions—that dealing with the referendum, and that dealing with the regulation of the sale of liquor. Tho conference had again declared its. policy- that the continuance or abolition of the liquor traffic must be determined in- accordance with tho expressed will of a simple majority of tho people who , tocorded their votes. He also quoted the resolutions dealing with the twoissue ballot paper and other matters. In support of the main requests of the deputation, ho said they recognised that tho Legislative Council might.not pass a Licensing Bill containing tho provisions they asked for, but -they suggested that the Council be givon the opportunity to reconsider its decision of last session. A PROMISE FULFILLED, Replying to the deputation, the Primo Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) assured them that he did not take lightly what they said. "If any of you are anxious to get experience of political life," he added, "I suggest that the very first Bill to be introduced by any of yon who should enter Parliament should be a Licensing Bill." There were two points of view on the question, said Mr. Coates. A promise was made by his predecessor that a Licensing Bill would be introduced after the General Election of 1922. Unfortunately for all of us, "and particularly for aiyself," he interpolated, Mr. Massey was not spared to carry out his intentions. In duty bound, Mr. Coates said he had committed his party to precisely the same promise—that Parliament would be given an opportunity to consider a Licensing Bill. Ho said he had his own views on the question, and he recognised the sincerity of those who advocated the Prohibition cause. He was not unmindful of the great people who wero. behind the movement, and not willingly would ho do anything that was likely to create a false impression in connection with their work. Someone had to introdueoUhe Bill, and he had done so. Ho had been criticised in regard to it, the interpretation placed on it being that it was a Bill favouring the liquor traffic. He assured them that it had been-introduced with tho object of raising tho whole question, and possibly permitting compromise to be reached on certain points. In no sense was it a party measure, nor was it considered from tho party point of view. In the Upper Houso Sir Francis 801 l had -taken exactly tho same atti.tude. The.measure represented an effort on his (Mr. Coates's) part to bring in legislation which in his view was in tho interests of the community, and ho was not repentant in regard to that. He had wished after reporting progress to get into touch with various members who were interested in the question with a view to calling a scries pi

conferences. Tho conferences went on for some days, but inevitably the rival factious wore.unable to agree. He then clearly indicated to Parliament that he could no longer bo associated with the Bill, and he had left it to Parliament to indicate its will. "I sincerely trust," said tho Prime Minister, "that my attitude has been clearly understood.'" It was said that tho issuo had been dodged, but that was far from tho case. COMPLIANCE WITH NEW LAWS. Proceeding, Mr. Coates said that if thero was to bo a readjustment in the liquor laws ho believe it was necessary to have sufficient public support behind them to ensure that the law was given effect to. ■ He .trusted that whatever was done would be dono with a clear 'determination,on tho part of the peoplo to sco that the law was maintained. "I am nervous and concerned,"he confessed, "as to whether a change in our system should tak place, and wo may not get completo and definite compliance with the law." HIS DUTY. « In regard to the introduction of a Bill this year, Mr. Coates said he thought it was tho almost general desire of members of Parliament and of a greater number of the people that some attempt should bo made again to see whether or not the question could be settled. While .quite a number of peoplo were opposed to the Bill being introduced, ho thought it was his duty to give Parliament a further opportunity to consider tho question. (Applause.) In conclusion, Mr. Coates referred to tho need for reforms in tiie licensing laws. Ho declared that he' thought ■' there was ample room for .-oforms which would redound to the credit of New Zealand. He was by no means as disheartened as somo people in regard to the deterioration of our race, for in the schools he saw keen-eyed children and confident faces, .and he felt sure that New Zealand was not going back. "It is still driving ahead, a'iid long may it do so," he said.