THE LICENSING LAW

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12538, 30 August 1926, Page 4

THE LICENSING LAW

N.Z. REFORM ASSOCIATION DOMINION CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES KEEN DISAPPOINTMENT A Dominion conference of delegates rom branches of the New Zealand incensing Reform Association was held n the Accountants’ Society room 6. The Yen. H. W. Williams, Archdeacon of Waiapu (Dominion president), was in the chair. The following delegates were in attendance :—Auckland branch, Messrs F. J. Dignan, Norman Wade; Waikato branch, Messrs J. McKinnon, M. Darke; Taranaki branch, Mr S. G. Smith; Wanganui branch, Messrs J Harold, H. W. AYilson; Feilding branch, Rov. Canon F. H. Petrie, Mr H. B. Burrell; Foxton branch, Messrs R. Bryant, AY. Kirkland; Levin branch, Messrs T. Hobson, R. W. Percy; Palmerston North branch, Messrs W. Hunter, W. Pyecroft; Hawke’s Bay branch, Messrs C. Edmundson, E. Gilbertson, J. E. Hughes; Poverty Bay branch, Ven Archdeacon H. W. Williams, Dr. J. C. Collins, Mr G. B. Oman; Wellington branch, Messrs J. F. Atkins, M. A. Carr, P. Coyle, W. Perry, A. Young; Nelson branch, J. P. Hayes, F. G. Twiss; Marlborough branch, Messrs A. Johnson, E. J Brammall; Canterbury branch, A r en. Archdeacon F. N, Taylor, Rev. Chas. Perry-; Rangiora branch, Rev. J. F. Fe'ron, Mr C. Tyler; Kaiapoi branch, Messrs AA’. Coup, J. Smith; Timaru branch, Mr J. P. Newman; Otago branch, Mr AV. Stewart; associated clubs executive, Mr H. Douglas. Apologies for absence were received from the Rev. Gordon Bell (Auckland), Rev. P. T. Williams (Bay of Islands, and tho Right Rev. Dr. Richards (Anglican Bishop of Dunedin), who stated that only illness in his family prevented his attendance, as he felt that the matter of ilicensing reform was of such grave moment that all should do their utmost to get it effected on wise and sound lines. ANNUAL REPORT The annual report detailed the activities of the year. Regarding the 1925 poll it said, inter alia: The figures of the licensing poll of 1925 showed a greatly increased interest in the subject of reform. Whereas in 1922 the vote for the middle issue numbered 35,727 it made the substantial increase in 1925 to 56,037. In estimating the value of these figures it must be remembered that the legislative provisions for putting the system of State purchase and control into operation are most unsatisfactory, and many electors refrained from giving it support on those grounds. It; is hoped that the Legislature will (remedy this so that the issue may he more fairly placed before the people. The combined votes of continuance and State control placed the issue of prohibition in the most definite minority yet recorded in New Zealand, and gave the clear indication by a majority of 36,177 votes that the people of the Dominion do not want prohibition. Legislation.—lt is expected that the long-promised licensing legislation will make its appearance this session, and the provisions of the Bill will be awaited with interest. The overwhelming defeat of prohibition at the last poll, coming as an amendment of the report of the special Parliamentary committee and the policy advocated by this association, should encourage the Government to proceed with the programme of sane readjustment of the licensing laws with a view to securing better service and accommodation to the public and the prevention of abuses. Parliament.—lt will be remembered that the association did not lose sight of the attempt of the prohibitionists# to obtain control of Parliament by securing pre-election pledges from candidates. Steps were taken to warn candidates and the various partyleaders against the admission of this pernicious principle into the political life of New Zealand. The association determined not to seek any pledges itself, but urged all candidates to refrain from pledging themselves to any organisation on the liquor question. It remains to be seen whether this broadminded attitude will now meet with the response it merits from the members of the legislature. It is freely rumoured that the prohibitionists are boasting that they have an overwhelming majority of pledged men in Parliament. If such turns out to be the case the association may be called upon to review its policy in this matter, but the executive sincerely hopes that the ’moderate community will not be forced into the realm of general political activity at the electoral polls in order to preserve its freedom and its institutions. THE LICENSING BILL The president, tho Ven. Archdeacon AVilliams, in moving tho adoption of the report made interesting references to the Licensing Bill which is now before Parliament. He said the Bill reminded him of the saying that the mountain had been in labour and had brought forth a ridiculous mouse. In an interview with the Prime Minister last year members of the association had it made clear to them that his personal convictions were against the proposals of the party. Continuing, the president said he was ono of those who deprecated the tendency to try to settle everything by referendum. However, this provision was not in accord with the clause which was to bring into existence what the people might decide upon at the polls. Parliament, of course, might be able to get that defect right. One good feature of the bill was its provision for a poll on

restoration in the ovent of prohibition being carried. If that became law and prohibition were carried —a most unlikely thing—at tho next election there was then the possibility of having restoration carried at the following poll, and so the country could go on oscillating from one thing to tho other. The only safeguard against that kind of thing was that the proposals should not be carried on bare majorities. Despite denials by the prohibitionists there is no doubt there was a compact. The three-fifths majority was sacrificed and the third issue placed on the ballot paper as part of the compact. Could anyone imagine the interested members on either side allowing the changes to be made in the House without saying a word in protest, and “Hansard” showed that no protest was made. There was only ono explanation; it was a compact. If the third issue was removed from the ballot paper common justice would demand that there should be a substantial and not a bare majority required before a change could be made. That was the only way in which a mere catch vote could be guarded against. If prohibition were forced on ub here by a bare majority we would have a reproduction of American conditions. The Bill had come down late in the session, and no one know what was going to happen. No notice apparently had been taken of the recommendations of the Parliamentary committee in 1924. He did not believe that the New Zealand Alliance thought for a moment they had a chance of carrying prohibition; they were farther off the goal now than three years ago, or six years ago. Tho prohibition vote had drifted away very greatly, and that was a matter for congratulation. The vote for the middle issue, on the other hand, had increased from 37,000 to 56,000, an increase of about 60 per cent. Let people understand that if they voted against prohibition it did not mean that they approved of the state of things as they were at present, for ‘there were many respects in which conditions could be be improved. The way to improvement was blocked by the advocates of prohibition, because they knew that if improvements were mad© some of the reasons for inviting people to vote prohibition were gone. If the people wanted prohibition to be staved off the best thing to do was to get better conditions than we had to-day. Their efforts to get' an improvement in the law should not be relaxed. True temperance in New Zealand would be achieved only by the determined effort ‘of moderate people. AN EMPHATIC PROTEST The following resolutions were carried for submission to the Prime Minister: — Moved by Mr M. A. Carr (Wellington), seconded by Dr. J. C. Collins (Poverty Bay), “That this conference of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association, representing the united organisation of all sections opposed to prohibition, emphatically protests against the endeavour of the Prohibition Party to dragoon Parliament into deleting the middle issue from the licensing ballot-paper, and urges the Government and the people’s representatives in Parliament to stand firmly against this proposal to betray the trust reposed in the legislature by the moderate section during the passing of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1918, such Act clearly and intentionally providing that in view of the safeguard of the sixtv per cent, majority the moderate electors would, in all future polls, have a third issue of reform as between continuance and prohibition, whereby a conscientious opinion could be expressed at the ballot-box.” Moved by Dr. J. C. Collins (Poverty Bay), seconded by Mr C. Tyler (Rangiora), “That this conference of the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association expresses its keen disappointment with th« Licensing Act Amendment Bill now before Parliament, and strongly urges the Government to reconsider the matter with a view to embodying the proposals of the Epecial parliamentary committee which reported in 1924 after an' exhaustive examination of the question extending over many years.” CORPORATE CONTROL AS THIRD ISSUE Moved by Ven. Archdeacon F. N. Taylor (Christchurch), seconded by Rev. Chas. Perry (Christchurch), “That the New. Zealand Licensing Reform Association again urges upon the Government the desirability of substituting the proposal known as ‘Corporate Control’ for the existing third issue of State purchase and control, thereby providing tho electors with a sound and practical proposal upon which to exercise their franchise as between prohibition and continuance of existing conditions.” Moved by Rev. Canon F. H. Petrie (Feilding), seconded bv Mr W. Coup (Kaiapoi), “That the Dominion executive be authorised to take any action found necessary to safeguard the interests of the association in connection with the Licensing Amendment Bill now before Parliament.” The question of the future attitude of the association in connection with the election of members of Parliament wao discussed, and it was decided to defer action in this respect until a conference, to be called subsequent to the conclusion of the present session of Parliament, the Dominion executive to examine the position in connection with the Licensing Bill now before the House, and to prepare a report on the matter. It was also carried: —“That this conference places on record its appreciation of the whole-hearted work of its vice-president, Mr D. M. Findlay, regrets liis absence from the conference, and expresses the hope that he will soon have completely recovered from tho results of the unfortunate accident which has prevented his attendance.” Votes of thanks to the Dominion secretary (Mr R. A. Armstrong), for his work during tho year, and to the chairman of the conference, concluded tho proceedings.