LIQUOR PETITION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1133, 5 November 1918, Page 7

LIQUOR PETITION.

REMOVAL OF NAMES. WELLINGTON Thursday. In the House this afternoon, Sir Harris (Waitemata) raised a question in connection with the liquor trade's petition, presented to the Prime Minister in the morning. He said that he had in his hand two letters from people who stated they had signed the trade petition tinder a misapprehension and wished their names removed. He asked the Speaker how he should proceed, as the petition had been presented' direct to the Government and was not before tho House.

Tho Speaker said that the proper course would he to send the names to tlie committee that would deal with tho petition, or to the Government. Mr Bnick (Palmorston) said he had received letters of tlie same kind. The Prime Minister, later, in the afternoon, said he had found, on examining the petition, that it was addressed to Parliament and not to the Government. He would therefore present the trade petition to Parliament, and the duty would devolve on the Speaker on giving the necessary'facilities for havin<r the petition subject to a scrutiny. Mr McCallum (Wairau): Doe.s that apply to the prohibition petition as well? . , Mf Massey: I have no doubt it does. I have not examined the prohibition petition. I shall present the trade petition to tlie House and my responsibility will cease. Members: Will it? (Laughter.) Tlie Prime Minister took an opportunity during tlie afternoon to present both the prohibition petition, with 24.2.000 signatures, and the trade petition with 306,000 signatures, to the House. He did not produce the actual documents, a sheet from the top of each petition sufficing.