LIQUOR LAW CHANGES URGED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22444, 26 September 1947, Page 3

LIQUOR LAW CHANGES URGED

PARTIES AGREE FUTURECONTROL QUESTION OF METHOD NO BILL THIS SESSION (P.R.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. The view that the present licensing laws are unsatisfactory was expressed by both Government and Opposition speakers in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon when the debate on the report of the Royal Commission on Licensing was begun.

A divergence of opinion on questions of the future control of the industry and management of hotels and chartered clubs did not follow party lines. The debate was initiated by the Attorney-General, Mr. H. G. R- Mason, who indicated that legislation would not be brought down this session. The Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, promised an opportunity for a further debate on the subject next Wednesday. He was satisfied, said Mr. Mason, that for many years there had been a general consensus of opinion that the licensing law had become outgrown, and he felt that a considerable amount of agreement .might be attained as to the changes which could be effected. One issue which would claim considerable attention was whether the organisation recommended in the main body of the report should be adopted, or whether the minority report of the late Mr. G. W. Hutchison should be accepted as reducing the complexity. There was also the question of the form of polls which could be presented to the people. He approved, he said, of referring major issues of the licensing law to the people,in referenda. A new issue }vhich was introduced was that in the event of continuance being voted for. should there be control Tv a public corporation? That would take the place, he supposed, of the issue of State control, but not quite in the same way as in the present ballot paper. A further important subject, said the Minister, was that of the “tied house problem. Mr. Mason dealt briefly with the problems of the King Country and the Ashburton area. What had happened at Ashburton, he said, might be described as “a legal accident” on which the report recommended a poll of the people. , ~ , Another question to be considered was that of special occasions, including drinking at cabarets. _ This,, however, was a dangerous practice which had to be suppressed, and the legislation controlling it had been a great success. Position of Smoke Concerts

“It seems to me doubtful whether smoke concerts are in accordance with our present law,” added Mr. Mason. “These could be very happy and necessary occasions if properly conducted, and there must be provision for their control and their doubtful position in the law must be clarified. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opp., Waitomo) asked whether legislation based on the report would be brought down this session. “The honourable member must be merciful and not ask me to draft a bill of such a complicated nature at this stage of the session,” replied Mr. Mason. The Leader of the Opposition. Mr S. G. Holland: What is the view of the Government about referring these questions to the people by a referendum? "The right of the people to express themselves by a referendum will not be taken away,” said Mr. Mason. “The question of how much detail should be submitted to them, however, is a matter for consideration.”

Mr. Mason said he hoped to bring down legislation early next session. “I have supported prohibition all my life, but I don’t think now. that it is a nraeticable proposition,” said Mr. T. C Webb (Opp., Rodney). “As a result of the experience of other countries I have 'ost my enthusiasm for prohibition and I am not in favour of a bare majority decision on a referendum.” The National Party, said Mr. Webb was in favour of submitting to the neople questions as to whether there should be public ownership of the breweries and their licenses, extension of the hours for the sale of liquor, re distribution of existing liquor licenses, and a nine-year liquor poll. The \ttorney-General, he complained, had not given any indication of the Government’s proposals. Political Policies Compared

The general policy of the National Party, of course, was to favour private enterprise, but there were by no means no exceptions. The difference between ‘he National Party and the Labour Party* was that the former regarded State control as a corrective and the ’ntter as an objective. The recommendation that there should be a liquor manufacture and sale board was one instance where it might be advisable to have State control as a corrective. Mr. Webb said his own view was that if drinking hours were extended, the volume of drinking would be extended —the same people would drink more often. He agreed, however, that there should be more exceptions made in the case of tourists and special occasions than in the past. Some early action should be taken with the redistribution of licenses, continued Mr. Webb. There were too many hotels in Auckland and elsewhere that were just drinking houses and not fulfilling the purpose for which hotels were meant—the provision of accommodation. Mr. Webb also contended that there should be some over-riding tribunal to decide under what conditions a licensee should hold a hotel and to prevent a licensee being subjected to conditions that were ro severe that he was virtually compelled to trade after hours to pay his way. Abuses of the liquor laws today were not as bad as in the past, said Mr. G. H. O- Wilson (Govt-, Palmerston North). “The temperance movement is partly to blame for the excesses in drinking in this country.” he said. The general argument of the temperance people was that it was bad for young people to see their elders drinking, and they tended to drive people to hole-in-the-corner methods. The result was the scandalous conditions of bars. Drinking in Restaurants

If there were sensible licensed cafes and restaurants there would be less excessive drinking even though more people might have a glass of liquor, he contended. The major cause r»" abuses of drinking, as had been b.vught out in the report, was commercialisation, said Mr. Wilson. It was profitable for the brewers, who owned most of the hotels to get people to drink more and more. “i do not think it is right for people to make a profit out of anything so potentially dangerous,” continued Mr. Wilson. He did not think there was any value in private enterprise where monopolies existed, and that was virtually the position with the breweries in New Zealand.

He disagreed with the Opposition in their desire for a referendum on the auestion of public or private ownership of the breweries because the danger was that a tremendous amount of money would be spent on propaganda for one side only. That was a matter which might well be decided by Parliament, he suggested. Mr. Wilson advocated a referendum on hotel hours, however, and claimed that less restricted hours would lead to moderation rather than excess in drinking. He also favoured the maximum amount of local option, and did not think there need be complete uniformity throughout the Dominion in licensing conditions. A separate vote of the Maoris and Europeans of the King Country on the question of introducing licenses into that area was advocated by Mr. P. Kearins (Govt., Waimarino). There was in tjjie King Country practically no sly-

grogging now, he said, as the formation of clubs with the locker system had definitely killed it. A complaint that such an important question as licensing had not been presented to the House by senior members of the Government was voiced by Mr R M Algie (Opp., Remuera), who said he took it that the Government was running away from its. responsibilities and was handing the topic over to members who could be “dropped” if it did not go the right way. Mr. Algie reiterated the contention of Mr. Webb that more than nine years should be allowed between liquor polls. “I think there is room for a good deal of education of public opinion as far as liquor in restaurants is concerned,” he said- A Continental system could not suddenly be transplanted into a New Zealand community, he maintained- , ~ Opposition members: We don t want it. “There was drinking in restaurants in Britain,” interjected Mr. F. W. Doidge (Opp., Tauranga) and Mr. Wilson together. “We cannot expect to make people better by merely passing Acts,” said Mr. Algie. Every law, particularly, those restricting the activities of individuals, must rest on consent, he said. On this question the social habits of many generations were being dealt with, and a real lead was to be found in example and education rather than in legislation