THE LICENSING QUESTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14702, 9 December 1909, Page 8

THE LICENSING QUESTION

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' CONFERENCE. THE RESOLUTIONS, (Pes United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 8. The following resolutions were adopted at tlie conference of the licensed liquor trade of New Zealand, on the motion of the Hon. Mr Lotiisson, M.L.C., seconded by Mr Walter Johnston: — 1. Hint this meeting of delegates from the brewers, wine and spirit merchants, and licensed victuallers- of New Zealand views with surprise and indignation tho action-of the No-lioense party in deliberately repudiating 'in agreement entered into between its oliicial representatives and the representatives of tho trade for an amendment of the licensing Jaws, and emphasises the fact that at the date of the conference of no-license delegates at Wellington at which such repudiation was decided on the above-mentioned agreement had already been signed by the official representatives of both parties, and a draft of the ptoposcd bill embodying the agreement had been agreed to'by the solicitors of both parties thromih the final arbitrament of the Hon. Dr Findlay, and the suggestion coming from the X<>liccnse Conference that an alteration should be made in liio terms ol the agreement came too late, and was simply a weak attempt to justify a most ignominious repudiation of a* written agreement.

2. That this meeting and the trade of tho Dominion will oppose by every proper and legitimate moans in their power any attempt to depart from tho three-filths majority for either local nolicense or Dominion prohibition, except on the express condition that the principle of one-elector-one-vote shall be introduced, two issues only to be on the voting paper—viz., (1) local coninuance; (2) local no-licensc and Dominion prohibition,—and that the time limit in tho case of local jio-lfcense being carried be not less than two years from the date of the noil, and in the case of Dominion prohibition being earned it bo rot less than five years from the dato of the poll.

3. That this meeting is of opinion that the Bight Hon. the Prime Minister should in the interests and the welfare of llic public and the Dominion introduce and pass into law as outlined in his Financial Statement such legislation «s will camout the agreement entered into oiv November 6, between the representatives of tho New Zealand Alliance ajid the trade, aJid that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to him with a respectful request to idv£ efkc> the sama,