PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9598, 24 August 1894, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. THE LIQUOR BILL. The Government Liquor Bill is still being carefully studied by the various temperance and liquor trade bodies. It is of such a voluminous character that many of those interested do not care to express an off-hand opinion as to its being workable or otherwise. The executive of the New Zealand Alliance are considering the measure, and the Publicans' Association will probably meet to-morrow morning to consider it. A wine and spirit merchant of this city, interviewed by the Evening Press, Bays, from his poinb of view, the Bill has much to commend it, though it contains some anomalS He thinks that a clause should be introducted relieving tied houses. In reference to the limitation of wholesale licenses to the sale of not less than five gallons of beer, he thinks that bottle licenses should be issued for two gallons of beer. He also points out that an anomaly exists in the proposed nominated committee, as it is quite possible that someone connected with the liquor trade may be elected to an office, by virtue of which ho will hold a seal on the committee. The Evening Press, the organ of tine temperance party, thus refers to the Bill:~" To sum up tho general effect of the whole measure will be to make moderate reform in any real sense absolutely impossible, and to divide the county into two camps, the one straining everynerve for the total extermination of liquor, the other striving equally hard for, the retention of every grog shop. Even if the' total extinction of the traffic be the only ultimate solution of the problem, we still believe that progress towards that end should be gradual and tentative, and we therefore think that after due consideration every moderate reformer and every practical-minded prohibitionist will unite in preferring even the Act of last session to the Bill now before us. There is, however, one feature of the Bill from which wo extract a grain of comfort. It contains 225 sections, at least 200 more than were needed, and is clearly not meant to pass." ROTORUA SANATORIUM. Mr. Meredith this afternoon asked, Is it correct that members of friendly societies and labour unions visiting for curative treatment the Government sanatorium at Rotorua are treated as a privileged class by a system of differential charges, while a much higher scale of charges is made on the general public visiting the sanatorium for curative treatment. Mr. Meredith stated that he had been informed thab the members of Labour Unions paid only 21s, while others for exactly the same treatment were charged 30a. Mr. Reeves admitted that the facts stated were correct as far as Friendly Societies were concerned. Owing to numerous requests he had granted the concession by which the members of duly registered friendly Societies were received on the same terms as persons receiving charitable relief. It was hardly fair to compel them to apply through the Charitable Aid Boards. The number was limited to three at any one time, and then only when there was room. The societies were to pay expenses of members to and fro, and provide them with proper clothing.