HINT IN COMMONS OF POSSIBLE CONTROL BY STATE OF LIQUOR TRADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26956, 16 December 1948, Page 7

HINT IN COMMONS OF POSSIBLE CONTROL BY STATE OF LIQUOR TRADE

' NZP A—Copyright Rec. 8.30 p.m. < LONDDN, Dec. 15. In the last half minute of his speech in the House of Commons last night on the Licensing .Bill (which provides for State management of public houses in areas where new towns are built), the Leader of the House, Mr Herbert Morrison, hinted at the possible nationalisation of the liquor trade, says the parliamentary correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. Mr Morrison was commenting on the reported warning to the Government that the retail liquor trade “ hitherto unpolitical,” would not hesitate to act on political lines if necessary. “If,” said Mr Morrison, “this trade was going to make itself the instrument of a political party and was going to turn every public house into a Tory, committee room, 'it would be ill-judged and would be inviting a policy it did not want.”

There was no time for further explanation of Mr Morrison’s statement before the House voted on a Conservative motion to reject the Bill. The motion was defeated by 307 votes to 203, and the Bill was rfead a second time.

The Opposition’s case against the Bill was directed largely to the fear that it was the thin edge of the wedge towards nationalisation by stages. There was also some Labour criticism of the Bill and three Labour members voted against the Government.