LICENSING BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10689, 8 September 1920, Page 6

LICENSING BILL

ENGINEERING LEGISLATION MODERATE LEAGUED PROTEST TO '■ * . PRIME MINISTER. The New Zealand Moderate League has had under consideration, the Licensing Bill recently introduced in the Upper House by the Hon. John Barr, M.L.C and has addressed the following letter to the Prima Minister in connection therewith:—

"Sir,—l am directed by my executive to bring under your notice a matter of considerable importance in connection with the .Licensing Amendment Bill introduced in the Legislative Council by the Hon. John Barr, which it is understood the Government is to adopt in the House of Representatives as a Government measure.

"Section 3 of the bill provides foi the repeal of section 141'of'the principal Act, and the explanation given in the memorandum to the bill is as follows: 'The repeal, by section 3, of section 141 of the principal Act is necessary, by reason of the repeal of .the law relating to local no-license bv the Act of 1918.'

"The league wishes to ipqint out to you that the reason therein advanoed is not in accordance with • facts, as the elimination of the local no-license issue has no bearing whatever on' section 114 of the principal A,ct, which provides machinery for the people to requisition for an increase of licenses in the event of a sudden increase in population in a licensed district. v

"It would therefore appear that another attempt is.being made by the Prohibition party to take away in an indirect manner an existing publio right, and the league wishes to record an-em-phatic protest against this method of engineering ristrictive. legislation through Parliament; "There is apparently no record of any case where the rights conferred upon the people by section 144 of • the prin- 1 cipalAct have ret been invoked, and occasion mav never arise for, its application; but the principle involved is a very important one and the league feels confident that the Government will not become a party to the passing of legislation under false pretences. "The league has approached the Government on numbers of occasions to endeavour to have comprehensive licensing legislation brought down based upon a thorough official inquiry, and, as my executive is still hopeful that this may be done, we would suggest that the matter herein referred to (section 3 of the bill), constituting as it does the deprivation of an existing Tight of the people, bhould be deferred until after mature consideration of the whole licensing question. "I am directed to state that the other provisions of the,bill relating to limitations on the removal of licenses, etc., are fully approved by the league. , "B. A. ABMSTRONG, Dominion Secretary.",