PARLIAMENT.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 124, 10 September 1895, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Friday. The Alcoholic Liquors Salo Control Act Amendment Bill was committed. In the interpretation clause an amendment by Mr Hall-Jones, that the licensing poll should not be taken on the same day as the general election, was rejected on the casting vote of the Chairman. When Clause 4, which provided that the poll should be taken on the day of the general election, was reached, Mr T. Thompson, in order that no other votes should be taken on the question, moved that the clause be struck out. This was carried by 31 to 30 and the clause excised. In Clause 6, Mr Earnshaw moved that each voter shall be entitled to vote for one, two, or three of the proposals instead of one or two. The amendment, although strongly opposed by Mr Seddon, was carried by 40 to 20. Clause 8 was altered to provide that the Committee at the first meeting after the licensing poll shall reduce licenses by 10 per cent if the poll is in favor of reduction. In the same clause Mr G. J. Smith moved, That in the portion providing for no licenses it should be a bare majority for Prohibition instead of three fifths. Lost by 31 to 22, and the bare majority retained. Sir R. Stout moved that the threefifths majority for colonial Prohibition be struck out iu favor of a bare majority, but was lost by 31 to 21. Progress was reported.