LICENSING LEGISLATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14682, 16 November 1909, Page 5

LICENSING LEGISLATION

ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSALS.

TEMPERANCE LEADERS' VIEWS.

(Faoji Oor. Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, November 15. The nll-importan' factor in the new order of things in regard to the licensing quest on, should it come to pass, will, in the opinion of the Rev. W. l\. Tuck (now of this city, but who figured prominently in the no-license fight at Auckland last year), be the widening of the party's horizon. One way in which additional enthusiasm will manifest itself, it is averred, will be in tho untying of purse strings. Mr Tuck, in conversing with a Times reporter, recalled one supporter who contributed £50 last campaign, and observed, when tilling in the cheque, " Were it a question of Dominion prohibition this cheque would be for £500, not £50." " Thc-i, said Mr Tuck, "Wo can hold up to the voters the fact that on the amended requirements wc were within l\ per cent, of victory last poll, and that if the relative rale of increase discloses itself this poll victory is ours. The potency of claims of so striking a nature must be enormojs, and will go a long way to ensuring success."

The principle embodied in the period of grace in the event of local no-license beinc carried ir> endorsed by Mr Tuck. " I have always thought," he said, "that six months was ratJier too short a time to allow licensees and owners to wind up and I believe the toncession will win m a lot, 01 sympathy. Many who withheld their votes on the score of individual hardship will now be disposed to support us." DETAILED AMENDMENTS. " Wo are assured," said the R«v. John JJawson, secretory of the Alliance, in an interview, "that an amending bill cm . bodying the various reforms already promised relating to bottle licenses, 'liquor in the King Country, etc., will be brought down this session." A single bill embodying both sets of amendments had been contemplated, but partition was now accepted as inevitable. REFUTATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS. Referring to comments published since he was interviewed on Friday, Mr Dawson j

said the absurd view that the plat-form arrived at between the parties was to be regarded as a hard and fast compact, from which there could bo no deviation, and which was to be embodied in legislation in toto, or not at all, appeared to have taken hold of a great many people, These who deduced this quite misinterpreted the position. The executive was faced ivith the alternative of arriving at a mutual understanding with " the trade " regarding the lines upon which amendments acceptable to both parties should proceed or abandon all present hope of amendment of the "ivs relating to the local option poll. A point upon which some concern has been expressed by church members is the omission from the agreement of provision for the importation of sacramental wines in tie event of national prohibition. Asked whether the matter had been considered by l!, c conference, Mr Dawson said it had, and it was expected that such n provision would be included in the bill. OBJECTION TO THE AGREEMENT. PROTEST FlvOM_ AUCKLAND. (Pat Unitkd Phess Association.) AUCKLAND, November IS. At a public meeting o! members of ternreranco societies and others to-night the following resolution, moved by Mr W Ivichardson. and seconded bv Mr J.Walah' was earned:-"That this meeting protests agams. the compact recently made with the U-pior party by the officials of the ™ ,v Alliance, on the ground that the pronibition of the lotior traffic is a national, question., and the policy of the woicine.it should not be dictated by a small clnjue or ceetiou of the party, but by a colonial convention representing all actions «f the people. Further, it affirms t nu no .egislr-tion will be satisfactory that does not make the issues of both local and Dominion option determinable bv a bare majority, to take effect at. no longer an interval nilenvnrds than at present oh. tarns, and it- appeal,; to the \'ew Zealand Alliance tc mako it clear to the Government and Parliament that no compromise of the just- rights of the people in this lospect vnll be accepted bv the No-license party.

AX OPTIMIST (TnoM Ol'h Own CoimEsrouDEX'r.) INVKRCABGILL, November 15. Diseussuis; iho new licensing proposals with a reporter to-day, Mr J. J, Wesilcv, one ol the leaamg no-liecuse importers in lilvoHMi'jriH, staled thatlheproposals «- er o not yet satisfactory to the No-license parly because they, were not yet law. Should hey pas. to the Statute Book, however, Hiey would be considered most ratisfactory. 'ihc outstanding cause- for satisfaction, m Ins opinion, was the reduction of IHe vote to two cieai-cut issues, which meant a great deal .to the party. With the reduction vote on the paper, j, B pointed out that there were many who voi.ed tor reduction because the'v sawevils in particular hotels, and thus'whero with the party they made its task heavier by adding to the imn.bct of eotes on which the party had to get a threehlths majority. \\ lt |, iho illt6rniinate wiie soiic, many of these people would vote uo-beense, while many more, not caring to see the evil* that prompted them to vote, reduction, if perpetuated, would not vote at all rather than vote or. cor. .nuance. This would, 0 f course, as,.st the Ao-hcense partv, or, at least ''"move. it. great, dil.iculty' that formerly <-:usteo, ,„ ,!,„,. tho nducHon ah ays counted ~i the total. Mr Wesllcy poind out, again, that there were many People who ditl.uob vote with \n, party becauGß they comended that no-liocnso, to bo effective, must, be national, -lot local l-'Ufier Iho new regime these would * « gm to the pmty, and would, at least, compensate for whatever loss of voters here might be owing to to me elc ' ojs who voted lor no-licfw in the d». nc . lc ,uatm s to vol, for colonial nolicense. J[ e remarked that, in 1896 tho lio-licetlse majority over the whole Do■tut had gradually- men each election till as year tt was 53| per ccnt.-;„ st w !' lll » 14 per cent, of lb nlsjority3,e--qu.red by the mv proposals to carry natonal no-hcensc. Vor these reason he a , £ ,ould the proposals be carried in their present, form, next election would see national no-liecuse carried