LICENSING REFORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18460, 25 July 1923, Page 10

LICENSING REFORM.

COMMITTEE APPOINTED. ;>, CRITICISM OF' PERSONNEL. ; TEMPERANCE MINORITY, QUESTION -OF LEGISLATION. [BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTED ;T '■' WELLINGTON. Tuesday,; - j ..; On the motion of ! the. Prime Minister the House ,of : Representatives.this 7 after-. j noon . set up a., special: committee 7" to .consider in the interests of the public and generally for its more satisfactory working what amendments are required in the present Licensing Act." ; . ' ,;" When j the motion to, appoint the committee had been;? moved, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Wilford, : asked what necessity existed for . setting up the.committee. A committee had been set up some time ago, had taken a great deal of evidence, deliberated upon ';; it, • and made, recommendations to Parliament. It had' always been hold that licensing legislation was non-party, but he believed that It .was the duty and function of the Government to give a lead to the House in legislation. He would like to know why it was thought necessary to go back on the recommendations of the former committee ■.' i. Committee Wrangle Forecasted. ,; :

"I suppose that the new committee will be asked to decide after a wrangle," added Mr. Wilford. "I know that some of the, members will never agreo. You can't mix , oil and water. -.1 can't mention names, of : course.. . Each member may express his,;! own views, but let him.do so on the floor j of the House. Wo can divide; on all questions on which the House is r not unanimous." ' ■•'■■■.-'• ' Ho added that it would bo a waste of time to refer the question again to a committee. ' ... . Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) said that ho did not quit© understand the roason for setting up the committee, which was practically the . same as" that of last year. The temperance party was heavily overweighted in the committee as proposed. Ono member of the late committee, the Hon. E. P. Lee, was a temperance supporter, but a 'member who did not claim to be anything cf the kind was to take his place. . i" A member: Who is it? Mr. Isitt: I will not mention any names. Temperance Members !»• Minority. He added that the temperance members were outnumbered by eight to four and could do little but listen and record their protest. Recently several very important petitions upon licensing matters had been presented to Parliament. Two were from large sections of the - Maori people protesting: against any attempt to break the old pledge regarding liquor in the King Country. Another waa from members of the Anglican Church and others though it 1 did not represent ; the opinion of tho Anglican Church by any means—asking for the introduction' of Stat* control. A member: Corporate controL t Mr. Isitt: The same thing. • '■,'■"'■' . The Speaker, the Hon. 07, E. Statham: The member must not discuss the licensing question. " •"'' - ~ '.' Mr. Isitt said that he maintained that corporate control was a form of Stato control. He'suggested that in view of "the lack of time this session the petitioners should go before one or other "of the ordinary Petitions Committees, neither of which was so one-sided as the proposed special committee. Mr. T. K. Sidoy (Dunedin South) said that he would like to;know whether the Prime Minister intended to bring down a Bill this session and whether he would submit ifc to the committee;

v-; ■/,' New, Situation Created, v : ;. : ;; r Mr. Holland,' Leader •• of the >.. Labour Party, remarked that - the • result of the laat liquor.poll; had -created a new situation. 'V The question now was control of the liquor -.»traffic.";, - < Legislation on - the subject was -badly;, needed, 'but> if ; the Government intended to bring down a Bill this session it would . have to ! bo dealt with : after > the Prime ; ; Minister's: departure. A committee composed of - such diverse elements was not likely to come to a conclusion rapidly. " I nave heart!! it suggested that tho'.>, Government should appoint a committee of two, the member for Christchurch North (Mr. Isitt) and the member for Gisborne (Mr. W. D. Lysnar)," continued Mr. Holland, " and that they should report *to the House after they had come to an agreement." (Loud laughter.) Mr. Holland said he had no objection to a special committee since an ordinary committee - would not have time to deal with the question. Whatever was done, tho larger questions of liquor reform would have* to be left to the votes of. the people-. The Hon. A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori) suggested that, a , representative of, the Maori >: people, preferably Mr. Tau Henara (Northern Maori), be added to the committee. - : ■ ■'■-.>;', : -: v: ::, : "U ]

Mr. . Massey Beplies. •; '' > ; "I am glad to hear tho Leader of the Opposition say that he is in favour of economising the time of the House," said the Prime Minister in reply. :" Liquor control hffs never been, a party question and I have not the slightest intention of making it one."' He had .in mind the petitions which had been presented to the. House. One he had presented himself was' from Canon Williams and upwards of 5000 others. While he was last in Auckland a deputation ; had waited : upon him and suggested that a special ; committee be' set up. This he proposed to, do. - Mr. .Isitt: It is i very one-sided; you i know. '> ; ' '..' '.* : "-l' ' ■'- -:•"'■:" ■ V'j I The Prime Minister: I am prepared to j remedy that by adding more members if j necessary. '.- •- * ■;'.'- ■,j Mr. Massey said he was ■ doubtful j whether it would be possible to deal with the licensing: question this session, but if any changes were to take legislative shape they must be passed either this session pr next. The committee would be able to consider the petitions and make recommendations upon which the Government would frame legislation. He doubted whether that could be done in the present session. He was quite willing to add a Maori member to the committee. The committee as originally proposed was set up without dissent. Its personnel is trie Prime Minister, Sir John; Luke, Messrs. J. Bitcherier, W. S. Glenn,. IA. Harris, F. F. Hockly, J. Horn, L. ; M.!i Isitt, W. D. Lysnar, M. J. Savage, G. Witty and R. A. Wright..:;,'

RESTRICTION OF RENT. ANOTHER YEAR'S OPERATION. BILL.;JcIEAD) SECOND.- TIME. ' [B? TELEGRAPH.— REPORTER.] , - ;■ '' WELLINGTON. Tuesday. .; The Rent Restriction Continuance Bill, I the object of which is to extend until 'July 31, 1924, the operation of part:! of the War Legislation Amendment ! Act, 1916, and its amendments in; so far as' those enactment* ; are now in force, was read: a second tune in the House of Representatives to-day.:-;-.._ : ''' :: --\- . '-■',' . ' In the course of a short discussion, the '■ Leader of the Opposition, Mr. - Wilford, said that he proposed to move at the Committee r stage; an amendment to pro--: vide that when a reduced rent had been accepted under* a. lease in full satisfaction no claim for arrears in respect of that period should be allowed. ; Mr. A. L. Monteitb (Wellington East) said that he wished to see an amendment to protect people renting shop premises as dwellings only from the operations of rackrenting landlords. At present these people had no benefit from,the legislation. '- ; The'" Minister for Labour, the Hon. Q.i J. Anderson, said that he would refer the point raised'by the- Leader of the Opposi■lion to "the'legal advisers of the; Government. "He hoped" that the law would not remain long upon the Statute Book. • Itwas not a good law if , only because it discouraged. the building, of houses for rent : ■.:»; Jtw BjU was read, » wcon<J time, ° i