LICENSING LEGISLATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9834, 27 June 1914, Page 5

LICENSING LEGISLATION.

BIG DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. (PIH PUSS AS9OCUTIOS.I WELLINGTON. June 26. The delegates attending the No-license Congress, together with local sympathisers marched to Parliament House this morning for the purpose of presenting a memorial on the liquor question to the Premier. The deputation was introduced by Mr Isitt, M.P.. who claimed that the deputation was representative of ail pans of the Dominion. The memorial set forth that the liquor traffic was* fruitful cause of economic waste, physical inefficiency, moral degradation, insanitv, crime and death. It also showed that' in 1902 there was a majority of 3000 valid votes in favour of prohibition, and at last general election a majority of 54.282 was cast in fa\our of total prohibition. It wts held to be arbitrary and unjust that, the majority required was contrary to the general practice in the country, and that a minority was now ruling. The memorialists urged, therefore, whilst. maintaining the principle of the simple majority for the settlement of all licensing issues submitted to the electors, and recognising the Bill circulated by the Government at the close of last session of Parliament makes provision for granting of an instalment of this reform, and in view of the pledges given by members of Parliament, that a Bill be introduced into the House in the early days of the present session, and that every effort be made to secure its speedy passage through both Houses of Parliament. The first speaker was Mr WcHey Sprag*r, president of the No license League, who claimed tha*. every electorate in the Dominion was represented, and said that while thankfully accepting the instalment of the reform promised in the Government Bill, they would never recede from the position taken up that this question- must, be settled by a bare major it v of the people. Mr A. S. Adams. Mrs Don, Rev. R. S. Gray and two native chiefs from the King Country also spoke. In reply, the Prime Minister thanked the deputation for the moderation of their views. He said Parliament would be given an opportunity to deal with the question by the introduction of a Licensin!* 1 Bill. The promise he had given would b« kept in the near future. He would move the Bill on Tuesday, and hoped that it would be dealt with between the Addres?-in-Reply and the Financial debate. He would not make it a party question, and would leave every member free to fulfil hi* 'pledges. He referred to the unsatisfactory | state of the King Country, and said remedial proposals would be placed before Par- ! liament.