POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13078, 14 September 1904, Page 6

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

A QUESTION OP VERACITY.

(Fiioji Odk Own CoßErsros'DEXT.)

WELLINGTON, September 13.

The discussion on tho Licensing Bill started to-day with a brush between tho Premier and Mr T. E. Taylor. Mr M'Nab moved to retain tho reduction issue on tho ballot paper, and tho Premier rose to chaff Mr M'Nab on having himself taken tho reduction issue out in a bill he introduced in 1895. Mr Taylor then accuvcd &o Premier of making a deliberate misstatement on tho subject. Ho said Mr M'Nab in 1C95 proposed to leavo out tl.o reduction issue from tho ballot paper, but on condition that full power- to reduco bo given to tho Licensing Committees. The Premier, ho said, knew that, but endeavoured- to. mis-

lead the HcufO. He appealed to tho Premior, whatever his vauil habit might be, to praetiso veracity in discussing this bill. The Premier said he must appeal to tho chair to protect him from the personalities and impertinence of Mr Taylor. lie Imd been accused of want of veracity. The Chairman (Mr Millar) expressed the hope that tho members would carefully guard their language. Mr Taylor said he would respect tho Chairman's ruling. All lis wanted was that tho Premier should admit that Mr. M'Nab's .bill of 1895 proposed to rc-cnaet tho powers of reduction on a moro liberal basis, Tho Premier said ho did not

admit it. PROSPECTS OP THE LICENSING BILL. Somo members of the Houso ventured to express doubts to-day as, to whether the Licensing Bill would ever roach its third reading. "I bclievo honestly," declared tho Premier, in reply, "that wo willget to tho third reading." Mr M'Nab: "Hear, hcftr! On Thursday night." The Premier said lie believed the House would pass n very fair bill, and that it would bo a great improvement on tho existing law. Tha Premier declared to-day that a.? far at tho Licensing Bill was concerned thero wiM no party. He was prepared to deal with reasonable amendments on their merits, and every member of tho Houso had absolutely a frcei hand.

THE MODERATE MAN. Much was said in the Homo to-night concoining the great Moderate party, which brought Mr Fisher to his feet to demand, "Who is this man of moderate opinion? (.jive me," he said, "the extremist one side or the other. I would not givo a snap of the finger for any man- of moderate opinion. There must bo oppo-ing armies. Say on which side you aro and let mo know what you are, and I will know how to deal with you." Several members pointed out during tho discussion of tho Licensing lli'I! to-night that in 1895 there.was a proposal to strike out the- reduction issuo from the local option ballot paper, and only threo members voted for it whilo 59 voted to retain the reduction issue.

AN EXCITING DIVISION. Tho committee discussion on tho Licensing Bill was not particularly lively to-night, but thero was a good deal of suppressed excitement, tho House being well aware that tho division on the proposal to eliminate the reduction issuo would bo a very eloso one. It was impossible, oven up to tho last moment, for cither side to judge correctly how the voto would go, as a number of members who had 110 very strong feelings cither way found it difficult to strike the balance in (heir minds between tho advantages and disadvantages of the Premier's proposal. Tho voto might lave been reached earlier, but somo members were returning by tho evening trains from their week-end trips home, and tho Nolicense party was careful to keep tho talk going, in order to secure tho votes of somo members who were in tho train. When the division bell rang the Ayes and the Noes were pretty evenly divided, and even when members walked into tho lobbies it was (difficult to judgo which sido held tho balance. The whole of the Maori vote was cast for the Premier's proposal. There was ltmd applause when the Chairman announced that the proposal to continue the reduction issue in tho ballot paper moved by Mr Jl'Nab Imd been carricd by 38 votes to 31 Thus tho No-liccuso party scored tho first victory 011 tho bill, and it "has from the start been more confident of its ability to defeat the no-license, no-liquor proposals and tho Stato control clauses. Messrs Buddo, Jennings, and Lewis were absent (unpaired. Mr Guinness did i>ot vote, and Mr Millar was in tho chair. The absentees could not have affected tho result, ts Mr Buddo is 011 tho nn-licenso side, and 110 and Mr Fowlds would have mado tho vote against the Premier's proposal <0, which, with ono member in tho oliair, is a majority of tho House. Some members now express the opinion that the Premier will recognise tho hopelessness of getting tho main clauses of the bill through, and that little more will be heard of it. Mr Scddon, however, stated that he intends to go 011 with tho bill'on Thursday, when clause 9 will bo taken.

When clau-o 3, as amended, was put to the House, tho whole clause was struck out, tho Premier voting against tho clam riicro is therefore no provision in tho bill •for tho taking of tho local option polls, which are. of course, provided for in the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act. Clauso 3 having been struck out, clauses 4 to 7 (inclusive) were also struck out, at tho Premier's request, tho day's work being that clauses 1 and 2 (short til lo and interpretation) aro passed and tho five following clauses avo struck nut. Tho Premier stated that section 8 of the bill as it stood would interfere with (ho Port Chalmers vote, which was a question now before the Privy Council. Ho would movo to amend the clauso by inserting the words " valid noli," so as /not to interfere with this matter.

HOTEL LEASES. Mr Moss proposes to add to the Licensing Bill a new clauso providing that no con?mittee shall have jurisdiction to grant a liocnso or the renewal of a license to any person except the owner of the. premise's unless ho produces a lease of the premises for the terni of tho license, at a renta.t not exceeding 20 per ecjit. per annum of the true valuo of the premises, freo from all rate?, _ taxes, and insurance, and freo from conditions respecting his purchase.

ADULTERATED LIQUOR. Mr Moss gave notieo to-day of a new clause in tho Licensing Bill to provide that every bottle, cask, or other rceeptaclo holding liquor exposed for sale shall liavo affixed to it a list of all the substances or chemicals used in the manufacture of the liquor. Ho proposes a penalty of £100 for exposing liquor not so labelled; and also that no debt incurred for unlabeled liquor shall be recoverable in court.

CONSOLIDATION OP LICENSING LAW. Tho Premier was asked to-night why he did not bring down a bill to consolidate the licensing law. Tho Premier, in reply, said the Government contemplated introducing a Consolidating Licensing Bill, but it knew it would bo impossible to get such a bill through tho House. It had, however, tho machinery for consolidating tho licensing law in the Statutes Compilation Commission, and it was its work lo consolidate the licensing law. His idea was to get a bill through the House amending known defects in the licensing law, and when that was done to pass a resolution directing tile Statutes Compilation Commission to cuiieolidato the statutes. Ho asked members to help him in removing tho defects f;om tho law.

FIRE/BRIGADES BILL. Tho committee on tho Fire Brigades Biil completed its-work to day,, but the bill, .is amended, will not.be reported to tho House till tho Cabinet has given its approval to a new clauso inserted to protect tho holders of municipal debentures issued for tire brigade purposes when tho brigades and equipment pass out of tho control of the ■ municipalities to the Firo Brigade Boards.

RICH AND WANTON. In tho Legislative Council to-day tlio Hon. Mr Jones said:—"From the workers wo get tlio purest thoughts and tlio most noblo actions." Ho went 011 to say that, as a. rule, tho wealthy classes "were rich and wanton." Was not tho colony a hotter plaoo to live in since tlio workers-had had a voieo in tho legislation? In Australia tho capitalists had had full sway up till recently, and'thcro had been onJy dissatisfaction, with tho result that a Labour Government had arisen, and although for tho moment it was under a cloud that would not long bo tho case. . JOTTINGS. The greatest statesmen - at the present time belonging to tho British Empire are Vi r Chamberlain and Jfr Seddon."—Hon Mr Trask. ' .

"If; wou'd be a great mistake," said Mr A.irkoride, to eliminate the reduction, vote. I would, bo quito willing- to add another

issuo to'thc ballot -paper, sp that the people would havo the right to say whether Micro should bo no-Jiccnso, continuance, reduction, or increase." "I think -it was the Premier that Tom Brackcn lmd- in his mind's Oyo when ho wroto 'Not Understood.'"—Mr M'Locblnn.

"If thoro is any man in the House who ought to know tho licensing law of tho colony it is myself."—Tho Premier. "Tho Premier," said Mr Hawkins today, "-pretends to bo legislating for tho great body of moderates in the colony. Hut what.aro tlm moderates to do if tho Premier's bill passes when they go into tho polling both? Thoy will either havo to voto jicenso or • rio-iieonse. Tho Premier leaves them no modcraito course."

"On some questions," said the Premier, "I have been as sound a lawyer as you havo in'tlie' colony." ' ■Mr Kailiau ■ presented three petitions today, bearing: tho signatures of 3370 Natives, asking for tho removal of restrictions on Nativo land.

Mr'Seddon has given notice to move that on and after Wednesday, tho 14th day of September, for tho' remainder of tho session. Government business take prcccdoncc on Wednesdays. _ Mr Witty wilt nsk tho Government whether, in -view of tho fact that the general public is put to great inconvenience through. steamers being stuck on mud banks in the -Lytteltcn Harbour for an hour or two at a time, it will place ti .substantial sum on tho Estimates to provide a harbour at Sumner, so as to avoid tho risk and danger to ships trying to get into Lyttellon.

Tliei Nativo Land Rating Bill, introduced by tho Govornment, lias bccii reported from tho Nativo Affairs Committee with amendments. A new clanso has beeh added providing that, notwithstanding anything in the act, tho Nativo reserves in the Middlo Island occupi«l by Maoris shall- not -bo liable to more than half-rates.

Mr Moss will ask tho Minister in charge of tho Health Department if ho will givo instructions for tho removal of tho diseased animals now kept in tho enclosure at the back of Parliament Buildings. Mr Moss is no doubt referring' to tho animals in tho yard of tho Veterinary Department, which abuts on Parliament House.