THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1909 THE LICENSING COMPROMISE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14685, 19 November 1909, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1909 THE LICENSING COMPROMISE.

A rar n r the utterances of prominent members of the No-license party in Wellington., this week throw a somewhat curious and interesting light upon the view they take of the compromise arrived at between leaders of the prohibitionists and representatives of some branches of the trade respecting the nature of the proposals that shall be embodied in tlio licensing legislation to he introduced by the Government. When the terms of the compromise wore made known a few clays ago it was intimated in so many words, on behalf of the advocates of the abolition of the liquor traffic, that, although the compromise necessarily did nob satisfy their convictions as to what te required, they accepted the arrangement, as it offered them, in their opinion, some advance upon the existing conditions. It was, indeed, only reasonable to suppose that both parties to the compromise- would, so far, at niiyrate, as those who represented them in the negotiations were in a. position to influence them, consider it to be incumbent upon them to stand honourably by the understanding, amazing though its terms must appear to the community in general. AVo gather, however, from statements that have boon made on the public platform and through tho press in the north that this is not tho conception that some of the representatives of tho No-license party in the negotiations have formed of their duty in tho matter. The Rev. Mr Dawson, for instance,' who, as secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, will probably have taken an active part in the formulation of the irreducible minimum of his party's demands, has stated his notion of the situation with engaging frankness. The clauses of the compromise, lie says, " in no way limit either party in the demands which it may prefer through its friends in the House." Speaking for tho party he personally represents, he declared that it would certainly fight for further concessions. "The arrangement is a start-ing-point," ho added; "if, in tho outcome, it presents itself as a finishingpoint also, we are prepared to submit." If we desire confirmation of tho fact that leaders of the No-licenso party have adopted the strange view that the acceptance of _ the compromise is not to debar them from striving to secure from Parliament better conditions than the compromise contemplates, wo find it in an utterance by the Rev. Mr Dewdney, who was also one of tho representatives of the prohibitionists during tho negotiations. According to this authority, the party to which he belongs, although it has entered into a compromise with the enemy and although it has joined in a request to the Government that legislative effect may bo given to this compromise, does not abate one iota of the demands that are embraced in its political platform. "Wo have," he says,

" neither eaten our principles, nor departed one hair's breadth from that platform." We are not profoundly impressed with the sonic of morality that is exhibited by anyima who, while he enters into an agreement with an opponent that purports to represent, as far as both of them are concerned, a settlement of points in conflict between thenu does so with a meutaj rcserva-.

tion that ho will do his utmost to secure from tho authority to which the agreement must be referred for ratification more favourable terms than are expressed in the settlement. From another point of view tho outspokenness of Messrs Dawson and Dmvdney is to be regarded with satisfaction. It. is to bo inferred from what they say that the agreement supplies merely the basis of a legislate e proposal to which neither party to the compromise is fully committed. In that ease, the middle party, which tile extremists on belli sides seem to have been inclined to treat- a.s a negligible factcr in the determination of the form that licensing legislation should take, will have the bettor chance of gaining recognition for its views on the subject. Moreover, as Sir Joseph Ward was evidently misinformed when he said in (he Financial Statement that the proposals contained in the compromise had obtained "the express approval" of both tho great parties in the licensing controversy it may be hoped that he will see his way to withhold tho promised legislation until next year. He may depend upon it that a Bill embodying the exceedingly debatable proposals to which representatives of these parties have agreed, without, it would seem, any due recognition," on one side at least, of the obligations that are implied in the acceptance of a compromise, cannot be passed through Parliament in tho course of an hour or two.