THE LICENSING BILL

Evening Star, Issue 19712, 12 November 1927, Page 5

THE LICENSING BILL

STATEMENT BY THE TRADE TENURE INADEQUATE FDR RESPONSIBILITY IMPOSED TWO-ISSUE BALLOT OPPOSED. [From Oor Paruauentart Heroin bb] WELLINGTON, November 11. The licensed trade is unable to give the Licensing Bill its support according to an official statement issued to-night, following a conference held in Wellington by representatives of all sec-, tio..s oi the trade. 1 he statement says that, while the large majority of the people of the dominion may consider that the Prim® Minuter is to be commended for his courage and optimism in placing before Parliament a Bill prepared on lines which he feels are in the public iuicesl, although contrary to the views expressed by the licensed trade, the License Reform Association, and the Prohibition Party, the licensed trade has decided that it is unable to give its support to the Bill. The substitution of a two-issue ballot paper is, in the opinion of the licensed trade, a retrograde step, being a reversion to the ballot paper provided for in the “ Licensing Amendment Act, 1914,”. which was superseded in 1918 by the three-issue ballot paper now in force. The two-issue ballot paper was then ■conceded by all parties to be an unfair cue fo* the purpose of enabling a proper expression of opinion to be given by Iho electors on the licensing question Hence the three-issue ballot pa[uw now in force was agreed upon and substituted. The licensed trade lias always consistently supported the ballot paper as one under which all electors can conscientiously record their view-’, and it has frequently pointed out that under this ballot paper the IToh'bitiomsts are able to carry the atoli I ion of liquor if they can secure a majority of one vote over the combined votes on the other two issues, which are unquestionably cast for liquor retention. The licensed trade can see no reason why some thousands. of voters should be compelled, through the substitution of a two-issue ballot Kfor the present three-issue bal- _ iper, either to abstain from voting on the licensing question, or to record their votes for an issue contrary to their conscientious views on the subject. As the same two-issue ballot paper now proposed in the Bill is similar in all respects to the two-issue ballot paper jettisoned by Parliament in 1918, as one not truly providing for the position and found to bo ineffective, the action of the Prime Minister in proposing to re-enact it appears to the trade to be an attempt on his part to pander to the ever-changing demands of the Prohibition Parly for experimental opportunities being afforded it by law to achieve its objective—namely, the abolition of liquor, « which has been consistently voted against by the electors for so many years.

As regards the tenure, the licensed trade views with alarm the powers which the Prime Minister has given to licensing committees to compel the expenditure of a vast amount of money »n alterations to and improvement® of hotel buildings as compensation to the public for the small concession of tenure—namely, six years, which ho proposes to give under tho Bill. To justify any such powers being given to such authorities, tho trade feels that tho tenure should not have been less than nine years, and it thinks that the Prime Minister has dealt with the owners of hotel properties in a most’ j drastic manner by imposing such heavy, 1 responsibilities for such an inadequate increase of tenure. It will be apparent that the foregoing comprise two of the main principles of the Bill, but there are other main fetaures in the Bill to which tho licensed trade takes strong exception. One of these is that respecting the inclusion by tho Representative Commissioners of licensed premises within the boundaries of No-license districts. It appears to the trade that a grave injustice is likely to be inflicted on licensed owners if the clause, as drawn, is retained in the Bill. Another of these is that the rights of the electors in No-liccnse districts which they now have of recording votes in favor of restoration of licenses appear to havo been taken from them. This may be an oversight on tho part of tho law draughtsmen, and the licensed trade feels that, although provided for in the Bill as now drawn, it never tho intention of the Prime Minister_to deprive the electors of Noliccnse districts of any voting privileges which they have hitherto enjoyed. While it may bo conceded that the; Bill < includes reforms which possess merits in the interests of tho administration of the licensing law, tho licensed trade denlorcs the fact that the nrnctico resorted to by the Prohibition Party of extracting pledges from members of Parliament' on tho licensing question is likely to prevent the free expression of the true opinion of these members on essential administrative reforms, so jeopardising the passage of any Licensing Bill through Parliament,