LICENSING LEGISLATION

Evening Star, Issue 19848, 23 April 1928, Page 9

LICENSING LEGISLATION

MEETING OF N.Z. ALLIANCE TWO ISSUES AND BARE MAJORITY [Pkh United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 21. The question of licensing legislation was reported on by the general secretary (Mr Edmond) _ at yesterday s meeting of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Alliance. Ho also outlined the prospects of this question being dealt with by Parliament during the coming session. Mr Edmond said that so lar as Iho position could be judged by the Alliance there was no weakening ol the intention on the part of any of its friends in tho Reform group to have a Hill containing the two-issue ballot paper and the bare majority introduced. , The Alliance convey"- 1 to Mr Edmond hv resolution its apprci Eon of the invaluable sendees rendered by him to the cause of moral progress in connection with the passage ol last years Hill through tho Lower House; its congratulations upon a moral victory achieved over tho anti-social forces of the liquor traffic in successive votes ol members of the House; and its continued confidence in him as the representative ot the Prohibition- forces in all dealings with tho Prime Minister, the Government, and members of Parliament. _ The Alliance reaffirmed its determination to secure decision of the issue by a simple majority, and renewed its demand for the removal ot the State Control issue. It was decided to use every endeavour to obtain tho adoption of the twoissuo ballot paper this session and to have it enacted that restoration means reversion to-tho conditions immediately prior to the coming into force ol National Prohibition, etc. The Prime Minister is to bo asked to receive a deputation for the purpose ot placing the various decisions before him.

HO COMPROMISE [Special to the ‘Stab.*! CHRISTCHURCH, April 21. The licensing question will be even more important politically in tho coming session of Parliament than it wars in the last- The demands of the New Zealand Allin rice have in no way altered, and tho Alliance sees no possible reason for any sort of compromise. That was tho statement made to-day to a reporter of tho ‘ Sun ’ by Mr J. I. Eoyds, who is a of tho Dominion Executive of tho New Zealand Alliance representing the Canterbury’ branch. ‘‘The main points of »ny licensing legislation,” ho continued, “ from tho point of view of the New Zealand Alliance, must bo the twoissue ballot paper and tho bare majority. It is well known that a large number of members of the Reform Party is insistent on those points, and the official report of tho recent Government caucus might indicate that an understanding regarding the licensing question was arrived at.”