AUCKLAND ALLIANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 10

AUCKLAND ALLIANCE.

DEMONSTRATION YESTERDAY. GRATIFICATION AT PROGRESS. BILL'S PASSAGE URGED. Expressing gratification at Parliament's attitude toward the Licensing Bill, a largo gathering of prohibitionist supporters in the Town Hall yesterday after' noon decided to urge the Prime Minister to again bring the bill before the House this session. The meeting was arranged by the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Alliance, the Hon. George Fowlds presiding. Briefly explaining the position in which tho bill is now placed, Mr. Fowlds said he believed the Prime Minister would carry out his promise and that members 1 of Parliament would again be able to con- ' sider the bill. It was quite a reasonable thing, he said, for the Prime Minister to 1 have asked that progress should be reported as he had. The House had been sitting all night, while radical alterations had been made in the bill. Mr. Coates had needed time to consider tho position, and had agreed to the addendum " thflt the House should have leave to sit again." Without that, the bill would have been killed, but it was now capable of being brought up again during the session. Mr., Fowlds added it was his opinion that Mr. Coates would be as good as his word and give tho bill " a good spin." " This is probably the- first time in the history of New Zealand," said Mr. Fowlds, " that, members supporting a reasonable provision for the taking- of the (prohibition ballot have been in a majority in the House. ' It will be a vast pity if such a substantial majority should be denied thp right of putting their ideas into legislation. Alliance and Pledges. Mr. Fowlds said that there had been talk of the New Zealand Alliance extracting pledges from members. The Alliance had not taken pledges, but liad sought from members an indication of how they would vote on the question—one of the most vital that had come before Parliament. It was reasonable that a candidate should tell the people how he stood on a vital issue. With the information it gained, the Alliance was able to make known to electors in each electorate how their candidate had answered its question. The position at present held by prohibitionist supporters showed the wisdom of what had been done. It was very gratifying to see that a majority of members of Parliament were in favour of what the Alliance stood for. A majority of members were alive to the handicap "that prohibitionists had had in the past. The Alliance did not ask Parliament to carry prohibition, but it did request a fair field for competition. The Prime Minister's Position. Mi . W. R. Tuck, chairman of the Alliance Auckland Area, said that he had 1 been in Wellington during tho progress ' of the Licensing Bill. All members of , Parliament had done their duty by voting, only three being away, all through sickness. The bill had been introduced ' by Mr. Coates, representing, as he believed, the genuine view of what the Prime Minister thought should become law. The bill had contained three primary clauses, and, as tho result of the 1 defeat of two of the clauses, Mr. Coates had found himself in such a position that half his party and half his Cabinet were voting against him. As it was at present, the Licensing Bill was in a more critical position than it had ever been. » It was in the hands of a Prime Minister who did not believe in it, although ParliaI ment did. Speaking of the clause providing an ex- ' tension of the polling time, Mr. Tuck said that it provided for a ballot at every alternative election. Considering that numbers of the Reform Party were in favour' of an extension of the life of Parliament, it might become very differl ent* from a six-year proposal, as it was I commonly reckoned to be. Of the twoissue ballot paper, the Prime Minister had said, " State purchase and control is not a live issue.' 1 and that sentiment had been echoed in the House. It was pleas- ' ing t-j observe the short shrift given to the amendment for corporate control. The question of a 55 per cent, majority • had been warmly debated, and, as in the case of extension of the polling-time clause, six Ministers had gone into the lobby against the Prime Minister. " Trust and Obligation." At present, Mr. Tuck said, the bill was placed in the hands of Mr. Coates, who had absolute power with it. However, i the House had not only imposed a trust [ on him, but an obligation also. (Applause. ) It was in the interests of the liquor trade that the bill should be sup- ' pressed, while it was to the benefit of i> the trade's opponents that the bill should , be dealt with. . In spite of magnificent majorities on , the three main issues, the bill was in a i critical position, said Mr. A. C. A. SexI ton. tho next speaker. The time had i come, he said, when prohibitionist sup- ; porters were a stronger force in Parlia- • ment than the liquor trade, whereas in , former years the liquor traffic had been dominating politics. The position was j. a satisfactory one. People were inclined to think that a 55 per cent, majority was I a very little thing, and would not constitute a very big obstacle for prohibition. , In point of fact, it would mean that t slightly more than six prohibition votes would have to bo recorded for every five continuance ones. " I resent that my i vote should count but five-sixths of that of a man whom we see thrown out of the bars every day," added Mr. Sexton. [ Mr. RA. Laidlaw emphasised the good work which had been done by the Alliance in the prohibition movement, and ■urged that it should be given fuller support, With ono dissentient voice, the following motion was carried: "That gratification be declared at the fact that, b»y substantial majorities, the House of Repre- . sentatives rejected the proposed extension of time between licensing polls, adopted the proposal for a two-issue ballot paper and carried an amendment in favour of the bare majority. It is respectfully but urgently requested that the Prime Minister ensure to Parliament this session opportunity for full and free consideration of the Licensing Bill, and for the enactment of such legislation as it shall approve."