PROHIBITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10218, 12 December 1893, Page 5

PROHIBITION.

| DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. [Pee Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Dec. IJ. j A deputation from the Prohibition i League, introduced by Mr Duthle, waited i os the Premier this morning to urge a I biimmor Beesion. | Mr Gain. President of the League, said j that they claimed that the elections \ had resulted in the return of forty ■ direct vetoisfcs, twenty-four of whom are in favour of a Bummer session. He suggested that if an extra session could not be held an Order-in-Ootmcil might be issued postponing the operation of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act till next year, or varying some of what they regarded aa the objectionable provisions. I Mr Atkinson urged that this was not an ordinary case, as the country had had no opportunity of pronouncing on the Act before the elections! Mr Oollina eaid that it would bp almost impossible to get fifty per cent of the electors to vote. The Premier said that he at once joined issue with Mr Gain’s calculation as to the result of the elections. The Government had information which threw a very different light on the intentions of members. They had documentary evidence showing that some of those put down on the list handed him as favouring the repeal of the Act, were really anxious to give it a trial. The League was no doubt perfectly honest, but its conclusions as to the result of the election were quite erroneous. This question was not a party one, but really a side issue. The election hod been fought, not on the Act, but on whether the policy of the Government met with the approval of the electors, and there could be no doubt as to the result. There was a large party in favour of giving the Act a trial,andnot half-a-dozen members who put prohibition before everything else. Government did not feel justified under the circumstances in putting the country to the expense of an extra session just after the turmoil of a general election. They must give trade and commerce a chance to recover and give politics a rest for awhile. There was no power to interfere with the Act by an Order-in-Council, nor did he think it necessary. After the experience of its working the House would be quite able to deal with it and make alterations if demanded by the country. Ha had himself been in favour of leaving the whole question till after the elections, but there had been such an outcry that the Government bad been forced to deal with the matter there and then. He coaid hold oat no hope of the House meeting before the ordinary time. Mr Gaia said that he did not wish to make the question a political one, but reminded the Premier that several members had lost their seats on this question' and on no other. The Premier replied that in some of these cases the successful candidates had expressly stated that they were for the Government first and prohibition afterwards.