LIQUOR REFORMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25202, 15 May 1945, Page 7

LIQUOR REFORMS

VIEWS OF CHUECHES MANY recommendations CONTROL BOARD SUGGESTED Recommendations for reforms in the control of the liquor trade were presented by the Rev. J. D. Smith, on behalf of combined Churches in Auck]and at the sitting of the Royal Commission on licensing yesterday. The Churches associated in the report were the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational Churches, the Society of Friends and the Salvation Army. The first recommendation was that the Government eliminate the State purchase and control issue from the ballot paper in the referendum with a view to substituting some form of trust or corporate control which would conserve the two interests of no profit and no direct political control. The electors thould be given the opportunity for a straight-out vote between national continuance and national prohibition. The electors should also have the opportunity of deciding whether, in the event of coritinuance being carried, a trust or corporate control should replace the -resent svstem of private ownership. This said" the report, might be accomplished bv adopting a ballot paper 111 two parts": (1) A vote between continuance and prohibition, and (2) a vote between private ownership and trust or roroorate control in the event of continuance being carried. Trust Control

Trust or corporate control meant that the manufacture, importation and sale of liquor be controlled and managed by a public utility corporation conforming generally to the model of the 8.8.C. or the Transport Board in Great Britain. Other recommendations in the report included:— , . , . That a liquor control board or central licensing authority be set up with power to act as a co-ordinating body in all licensing matters with a Dominion-wide reference. That all redundant licences be cancelled and that the holders thereof be compensated from a levy upon the liquor trade That if it is proposed to grant a new licence in ,-any district, the residents of the neighbourhood shall have the right to veto by a majority vote. If the vote favours the issue of a licence it shall operate under trust or corporate control. That wherever such a licence is established, the owners of adjacent properties shall be entitled to claim compensation from the holder of the licence for depreciation in the value of their properties. Chartered Clubj The charters of chartered clubs should be issued, and controlled by the central licensing authority acting on the recommendations of the local licensing committee. The charter should authorise the sale of liquor during the prescribed hours for consumption on the premises only. That the wartime restriction- on brewed liquor reducing acloholic content to 6 per cent proof spirit he retained after the war is ended. ■ That the consumption of fortified wines and the stronger wines be discouraged by steeply graded taxation, and that all wines of 22 per cent proof spirit be regarded as stronger wines for this purpose That, as spirit drinking is responsible for the most serious forms of alcoholism, legislative action should be taken to discourage consumption by increased 1 taxation and other appropriate means. That standard prices and measures be tJiL'd in all places where liquor is sold or served to the public. Special Inspectors Failing the setting up of a central control authority the Government be •urgecV to special inspectors to work under the Minister of Justice and to report to him monthly on the quality of liquor and on the working of the liquor law generally as provided in the present Act, and to make recommendations for improvements to him. Wherever liquor is sold for consumption on the premises, food and nonintoxicating beverages should be readily available. No licence should be issued which does not require the licensee to supply on request food and non-intoxi-cating drinks, including hot drinks at standard rates. Liquor bars should be open to the street and that the windows should be "of clear glass. That there should be only one liquor bar in a hotel and the bar should be on the ground floor. 1 here should be no increase in the hours for the sale of liquor and that anv alteration in the hours of sale should he subject to a referendum. That no liquor be sold for consumption off the premises after one hour before the closing, time of the bar. Breweries should not be allowed to sell retail. Accommodation lor Public . Hotel premises which at present have inadequate accommodation for the travelling public to be so re-designed the bar type of drinking will be changed into the restaurant type of drinking. The legislation against tied houses should be so amended as to prevent breweries and wholesale wine and spirit merchants from owning, controlling or operating hotels. That there be appointed a more adequate number of women police. That the teaching of the scientific tacts regarding liquor effects be given more definite attention in the Teachers' College course and also in both the primary and post-primarv Schools. _We do _ not regard prohibition as being within practical politics at the moment." stated Mr Smith when quesrn? il Speaking for the Presbyterian vhureh with which he was associated, ae said prohibition was still retained its long-range goal. Roman Catholic View Answering Mr J. B. Cooke, representing the New Zealand Licensed Victuallers' Association, he said he did sot regard drunkenness as being the main evil of the liquor trade. The ■Anglican Church was not mentioned as participating in the recommendations

übrnitted, but representatives of it had Conferred with the other Churches concerned. An official reply had been re.teived from the Roman Catholic Church Mat it favoured anything which promoted temperance, 'but did not take political action on such matters, out encouraged its people to exercise ti, o! their own consciences, there was the possibility, he adi iij la * / '' *' ie Government coriroilpd the suggested central authority appointments that might lead to the r 'Production of State control, yiiestioned by the Hon F. G. Young, * mernber of the commission, he said S ls Church was concerned about relorniKat present as the question of prohibition depended upon public Jwi° n ' was not prepared to sav hn + u" *' ie Churches would also support the compulsory acquisition of in.'ranee offices and stock and station •gents. to Mr G. W. Hutchison, he 'a he had not considered the position L om P"lsory acquisition of the liquor fh -^ le of the opposition by c to the same course being Ken to "acquire the privately held ares of the Bank of New Zealand. , e Promised to give thought to that > lf c i, w ' Ipn presenting the case for his Church later in the sittings.