LICENSING AND PLEDGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20058, 22 September 1928, Page 12

LICENSING AND PLEDGES.

Once again there has been illustrated the apparent impossibility of having any amendment of the licensing laws accepted by Parliament. Whatever else there may be in a bill, its fate turns on what it proposes to do about the periodical polls on the prohibition issue. Any other contents may be valuable, they may even bo approved by a strong majority of members of the House ; yet they are all overshadowed by the fact that the bill contains or docs not contain provision for the bare majority, proposes or docs not propose to alter the form of the ballot paper. On these points members are, for the most part, definitely committed one way or the other, and, so far as experience during this Parliament shows, have no disposition or do not feci entitled to compromise on them. It is nothing new to have pledges exacted from aspirants to Parliament, pledges which they aro bound in honour to remember if they gain a seat and are faced with the casting of a vote. On the licensing laws the pledge lias assumed a rigidity which is proving a positive handicap to the accomplishment of any reform in a department, of social life whore there is much room for it. It is one thing for a member to pledge himself to a principle, leaving his judgment unfettered when he is asked to consider any legislative proposal establishing it, on any instalment of it. It is quite another thing to have him tied hand and foot; so that he must insist on the insertion of one particular clause in a bill, or fight against it to the extent of opposing the whole bill containing it. This is what has developed over the licensing question. Tt has come .about without anyone being able to say whether the majority of that member's constituents agree or dis-

agree with the stand he takes j votes are cast" for many reasons beside the candidate's views on the licensing issue. The position is rapidly hecoming such that electorates would bo justified in demanding that members, expressing their adherence to any principle in any way they please, should cease to sign away their discretion, their power to compromise, or their ability to assist in useful legislation because it does not measure up to a certain very narrow gauge. Until they do unedifying spectacles such as the one just witnessed will be repeated indefinitely.