LICENSING LAWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3097, 23 July 1913, Page 55

LICENSING LAWS.

bare majority question. (From Oru OV.x Corrkhpon'dent.) W'EI.UINOTON, July 18. The demands of the prohibition deputation vosterday are being freely discussed bv members of Parliament to-day. 44 It is absurd.” said one. 44 that the prohibitionists should speak of patriotism and humanity when their demands, if granted, would mean the loss of £»900,000 of the country’** revenue, as iho Prime Minidci pointed out, and the loss of employment to 11.000 workers. Things are had enough without such losses, and how are they to be made good. Xo-licenso advocates claim that the majority of the House is pledged to the bare majontv, but this is doubtful. We are elected on the bare majority, but it frequently takes two ballots to find it, and prohibition to have the moral backing of the people must have at least a three-fifths majority in its favour. Sly-prog celling, which is bad enough now in no-liccnso areas, would rampant throughout the country if prohibition were carried by a bare majority. The prohibitionists would bo reasonable if they* suggested carrying nolicense by a majority of the voice on the rolls.”