NATIONAL EFFICIENCY CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 249, 16 October 1918, Page 6

NATIONAL EFFICIENCY CAMPAIGN

NELSON PETITION FOR A REFER-

ENDUM.

PRESENTED TO MEMBER FOR DISTRICT.

•NEARLY 3000 SIGNATURES

At the Council Chamber- last evening the N.Z. Alliance petition in favour oi the National Efficiency Board's recommendations concerning the liquor traffic was presented to Mr. T. A. H. Field, M.P. for Nelson. There was an attendance of between 40 and 50. Mr. F. G. Gibbs, in presenting the petition, said that fifteen months ago they presented a petition for 6 o'clock closing, and on that occasion felt some embarrassment", mough the measure of reform was paltry and meagre. On this occasion, however, they lelt no embarrassment. A great deal had happened during the last 15 months, and that night t-ney asked with all the force

they could muster for a root and branch measure of reform, which, would put an end once for all to the various evils

which "sprang from the liquor traffic. The National Efficiency Board's recommendation had conje as a veritable

bombshell, though the Board only stated what the prohibitionists had: been declaring for many weary years—that prohibition would be lor the welfare of the

t people. They were regarded' by many us "'amiable lunatics," and by some :is "very unamiable lunatics." But what became of the gibes and jeers after the report of the National Efficiency Board, which was composed of cool, shrewd, level-Jieadted men—men of jajxati ra (in finance and commerce unrivalled in th» Dominion. These men had declared tnat national prohibition was a thoroughly good commercial proposition such a good proposition that it would' be an excellent bargain for the country even at the enormous price of £4,500,000. As time had gone on the people had realised the weighting of these recommendations. ' Prohibition would save the five millions now spent or. drink, a large portion of the money required- for the police and for asylums, and the inefficiency caused by drunkenness, and even moderate drinking. The present campaign has been essentiallv a business man's agitation. The reason for this was that business men had: at last realised that '"the ' trade was really a cannibal trade gnawing athe vitals of'all other trades. All o th f r trades were useful members of the body politic, but the liguor trade was a deadlv. cancer, which business people said should be extirpated, even at the expenditure of such an enormous sum of £4.500,000, as it would be well worth while It was a crying shame and a disgrace that they should! have to base their appeal on finanical considerations when they remembered the crime, suffering ,and disease caused by drink. "Humanitarian and not financial considerations should have been the decisive factor. But they must be thankful for reinforcements wherever they from. Mr Gibbs went on to say that practically the whole of the North America continent had gone dry, or promised to go dry, in the near futureThav had regarded America as the land of- the dollar, a land where financial consideration outweighed all others. If prohibition was good enough for the United - States and Canada, there need be no hesitation in concluding .that it would be a good. proposition in New Zealand. Two other parties m New Zealadn were urging that a poll he taken on State Control. On democratic principles one must adniit that if a referendum was demanded by a larsre section of the community, the referendum should- be taken. But if theie was not a big demand the issue should not be .as it would complicate the paper and cloak, the real issue. The . National Efficiency Board turned down State control. The ■ United . States, Canada, and other countries had also experimented with -State control, and turned it down. The only way .he could conceive of State control being tried was as a stepping stone towards complete prohibition —-say, in England, where- the very interests 'in the liquor, traffic were so powerful. Tn New Zealand, the liquor ■ traffic was not so strongly entrenched as in England. The liquor parties asked for a referendum on State control; butthe proposal had been received with so much ridicule throughout the country that it was not worth while taking up much time dealing with it. The liquor party's proposals were on a par with the Ka-ser's recent peace overtures. J ne Labour partv had also adopted—not because the party was in keen sympathy with State control, but as . a piece of Socialistic propaganda. The Labour Party was socialistic, and rightly or wrongly believed that it would be better to socialise everything. Mr Gibb? urged that in the interests, of the re turning soldiers there should be prohibition.. ° The doctors had warned them that a- large proportion.* "of the sick and wounded soldiers had had their nerves shattered, and were peculiarly subject to the temptation of alcoholic drink, which had more effect on them than on a normal person. The temptation . of the open bar should be removed. The best way they, could show their gratitude to these brave men was to close the bars from one end of New Zealand to the other. For the sake of National Efficiency r»nd> the returning soldiers tbev asked Mr Fieldl to support tlie petition, signed by nearly 3000 m the Nelson electorate, asking for a referendum of the two simple issues of prohibition and cont : nuance. (Applause). Mrs R. Watson, on. behalf of the W*CT-U said the Union had always been opposed to the liquor traffic Every effort to regulate the traffic had been a • failure. Nothing good could he - said about the trade, which could not be carried on-without injurious results. Let them have a. change and try national prohibition. rhe> pleaded for "Mr Field's best effort in supporting the petition. (Applause). The Rev. E. D. Patchett said he wa. sure Mr Field would appreciate the" petition at it s full value—the significance of the issue, its moral weight, i and also the political influence that ! educationists like Mr Gibbs and Mr Frank Milner were connected with the movement, as it showed that such men realised that the liquor traffic was not in the interests of the young, life uf the Dominion. The liquor question was in the forefront of almost every political programme. The UnitedStates and Canada has declared for war-time prohibition. Great Britain, France and Russia had felt it necessary* to take some steps. He believed that Canada had adopted prohibition 'for all time, and not merely for the period of the war; also itliat tn©. United States would soon wanH alltime prohibition. He was sure Mr Field would see that it was in the interests of the Dominion that the matter should 'be settled.- At thatstage they were simply demanding a referendum. If a substantial proportion of -the electors of - New Zealand asked for a poll on the recommendation,, of the commission set up bv Parliament then the members of Parliament should support it. The, proposal did not come from ,the party but from the National Efficiency Board—a ' board composed of captains of commerce in the Dominion, who recommended that a vote be taken, to be decided by a simple majority, and■with compensation to the interests af- ) • . I

footed. There was much to be said about the justice of ,the proposal for compensation. They had. allowed the trade to grow up and other interests were involved with ithe liquor trade, and he believed they had a stronger case by supporting compensation to those financially affected. They asked -Mr Field to support with voice and vote in Parliament the petition to give etfect to the National • Efficiency Board's recommendations. (Applause.) 311* Field congratulated the speakers on the manner in which they had put their view s on this very important matter. It wa s one of the most imporant questions that would come before Parliament. He had always been in favour of .the principle of the referendum (applause). He was absolutely 'n favour of the main question thrit was placed before Parliament in the petition (applause). As to . the issues that would, -be placed before the peoole he was not- prepared to say definitely what he would do, because the nuestion would have, to be considered from every point of view. A voice : Don't shelve. Mr Field : I do not intend to shelve. I have never shelved.

Proceeding' Mr Field said he had al

wavs believed in democracy—service to the people. He would look at this question from the standpoint of service to the people, and. give everyone *n opportunity of expressing his opinion on this great- question. .His vote would .20 towards putting the propo«>ls. w.hatever the number of issues, as clearly possible 'before the people. He would be against any proposal (hat would i;ive an unfair advantage to any particular section of the community. (Applause). Mr Gibbs said Mr Field's reply was saiisfactorv.

Mr Field was thinked by Mr Gibbs *Mid Rev. .Mr Patchett and the proceedings terminated.