LICENSING ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24827, 25 February 1944, Page 4

LICENSING ISSUE

DELAY IN INVJCBCAJJGILL MR. FRASER ON POLICY (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Thursday The position arising from the carrying of restoration in the licensing poll in the Invcrcargill district last Septem-> her was discussed in the House ot Representatives to-day when a bill was introduced to postpone the election of a licensing committee for Invercargill until not later than September 12, and to provide that the district should be deemed a no-licence one in the meantime. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. (i. Holland, sought an assurance that the bill contained nothing which would deny the people of Invercargill the rights for which they had voted and to which they were entitled. The Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason,, who was in charge ot the measure, said there was no idea ol failing to carry out the will of the electors, but it was necessary to consider how best to give effect to that will. Such consideration involved the i necessity of postponing the election of | the committee. I "Dry" for 38 Years Mr, W. -M. C. Deuham (Government; an assurance from the .Minister that • by September 12 a line of definite policy i would be determined by the Govern- j ment. The position was that a big] majority of the electors had decided ! that liquor should be restored in Jnver- ; cargill after it had been "dry'' for 38 ! years. ; The feeling in Invercargill among the electors was that they wanted some- ; thing better than the old hotels, Mr. Denhain continued that if the I present licensing laws were put into; effect it would mean that for every f>(H) j people there would be a hotel, or -0 j for the district. He thought halt a j dozen modern lends would meet, the | position. A petition would shortly be; presented to the llouse on behalt of j a body of the electors asking lor muni- j eipal control of the hotels, but such aj system of control involved diflieulties. Prime Minister's Assurance "I would like to assure the .House and the country that there is no intention of frustrating the will of the people as expressed by the Invercargill electors," said the Prime .Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser. The House would have j an opportunity in due course to look; much further into the whole question | j of liquor licences. i ! The Government would do wrong if it did not give that opportunity, Mr. 1 | Fraser continued. If the Government! I considered that municipal control or : another method was practicable and reasonable, the requisite legislation would have to be considered. The bill was read a first time. FACTORY MISHAP LOSS OF RIGHT if AND DAMAGES CLAIM CONTINUED' I The hearing of the claim of a factory hand, Martin- Kiddle, aged 51) (Mr. North), for damages against his employer, New Zealand .Plywood, Limited (Mr. West), was continued before Mr. Justice Callan and a jury yesterday. On May 20 of last year, while cleaning out j the jaws of a machine known as ! a "timber hog" the plaintiff had the ' greater part of hjs right hand cut oft ! through the sudden restarting of the machinery. He alleged negligence against the company, and claimed from it £2500 general and £155 special j damages. Opening the defence, Mr. West said ' that the boy, Mclsaae, who started the : machine, had been told not to touch it, but Kiddle approached him and .said he would show him how to start and stop it. Kiddle stood over him and watched him while ho did this. That was the only time Mclsaae touched the ; machine ' until the accident. Just before the accident the boy heard Kiddle call out "start that machine" and he did so, said counsel. It turned out that what Kiddle really said was "Don't start that machine." Kiddle had no authority to show the hoy how to work the machine. A foreman in the defendant's factory, Tobias Scholling, said lie had instructed Mclsaae that in no circumstances was he to have anything to do with the j machine. Maurice Axford. orthopaedic surgeon j at the Auckland Hospital, said Kiddle; had lost four fingers and part of the! thumb of his right hand. If plaintitf had a goorl temperament ami plenty; of per.se vera nee he could make appreciable u=e of his arm. ami it would bo pos-dhle to work the arm up nut i! it was alino-l as good as a new one. At pre,seni. however, he was equal to a ; one-armed man. hut it he worked hard he could do quite useful unskilled work. | Atliol Francis Mod-siae. aged 15 year*, I gave evidence on the lines of eoun>ei'.s statement. He said he heard Kiddle =ay ■ "Switch the machine on," ami he did so. He heard Kiddle cry out and shut ; off the machine immediately. The hearing will be continued to-da,v. TAXATION BASIS i I THE NEED FOR OVERHAUL ; (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday i While expressing the opinion that no ■drastic alteration in the basj.s ni taxiation could he expected during the uar, ho believed that a complete overhaul I of the system was overdue, said Mr. W. B. Griffin in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the New Zoal.iud Society ol Accountants. The Associated Chambers of Commerce had recommended a Royal Commission to investigate taxation and its incidence. He felt that this subject would well repay deep study by accountants. Accountants had wider experience of I the operation ol the tax laws than any; oilier section ol the community, and their opinions should carry weight, Mr. j Grillin continued, as jn this matter they were much less open to suspicion ot selfinterest than many other sections. He knew there were wide differences of opinion on the subject, and did not wish unduly to stress; his own opinions, but he considered the most vital question I was whether the present system of I eompan.\ taxation should continue. j If ahilily to pay was the principle to he observed in imposing income tax, he felt it could he observed only i! taxation was traced as lull.v as possible to the individual. Companies must bear some lax, but ho thought the burden would bo much more, fairly spread if company tax were at a very ; moderate level and an adjustment were inade; to the recipient of dividends | according to his other income. SEQUEL TO FATALITY (P. A.) 1N T V KHf'.MU; ILL, Tlnirsdn.v A verdict oi guilty on a charge of negligently driving a molor-ear and can,sing tiie death of Roberta Fotlieringhani was returned against William Thomas Small by a jury this afternoon. Accused was found not guilty on charges of failing to stop alter an accident, and of failing to ascertain il anyone was injured iu an accident. Mason MeCormick, who was charged with abetting Small in the commission of these two alleged otfence.s. thus hecoming party to them, was also found not guilty. Mr, Justice Kennedy ordered thai Small should be remanded in custody for sentence until Monday. FRUIT MARKETING (P.A.) WKLLINO'I'ON, Thursday The New Zealand-grown Fruit Regulations, 1010, Amendment No. 4, gazetted to-night, gives legal effect to the decision announced by the Government early in the year that, as part of the schemo for the purchase of apples and pears, the Government inspect ion fee on fruit was to be abolished.