LOCAL OPTION LAWS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8183, 26 July 1912, Page 3

LOCAL OPTION LAWS

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. PRESS ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, July 24. Mr E. Nordon, the secretary of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, has returned to Christchurch after a holiday visit to several States of the Australian Commonwealth. ‘‘The prohibition sentiment in the Australian Commonwealth is mot very considerable," said Mr Nordon, in an interview. “Queensland is just discussing a Licensing Bill which provides for local option with a five years limit. A large number of members of the State Parliament consider that this time limit is not sufficient, and from what I could ascertain it seems pretty certain that the limit will be extended to ten years, and in that case the first local option poll will not bo taken until 1923. The ten years’ limit was agreed to in the Victorian Licensing Bill, which was passed in 1906, and the first local option poll will take place in 1916.”

Mr Nordon added that New South Wales was preparing for the next local option poll. From what he could ascertain the defeat which the prohibitionists suffered in that State at the last election would be repeated.