KING COUNTRY LIQUOR

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 13

KING COUNTRY LIQUOR

SCIENCE AND SLY GROG

“ UNSATISFACTORY POSITION.” (From Oob Own Cohrespondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 17. The question of liquor and the King Country and the suggestion as to municipal control in that area was again brought before the Prime Minister to-oay by deputations consisting of Messrs E. Martin (Te Kuiti), John Ormsby (Otorohanga), J. L. Short (Taumarunui), and A. TL Wilkie (Ohakune). Mr G. K. Wilson, M.P., introduced the deputation. Mr Martin said that what the deputation desired was an amendment of the proclamation at present governing the admission of liquor into the King Country. Mr Massey: Are you, as a lawyer, sure that an amendment of the proclamation would require to be made by legislation/ Mr Martin: We know that the proclamation could be amended, but even if it were amended we would still be in status quo. W T e suggest'that the proclamation be annulled, and we should then have the right of saying by vote whether we should have liquor in the King Country either by the institution of municipal control or the granting of ordinary licenses. Mr Massey : You want the same right to vote for license or no-license in the King Country as ordinary districts have? Mr Martin: Yes; that is so. Mr Massey: Do you want to be placed in the same, position as ordinary no-license districts are now in? Such districts, in order to regain, license, must signify to that effect by a three-fifths majority. Is that the position you desire to be in! Mr Martin: Yes; we would be quite satisfied with that, but if we do secure the three-fifths majority we want to get the licenses. Mr Massey: That would require legislation.

Mr Martin: Municipal control could be established if an effective vote of the people in favour of the introduction of liquor were obtained. We are directly opposed to prohibition, but we wish the matter to be decided by the votes of the people. What we ask for is practically the Gothenberg system. Mr Massey: Supposing the municipal bodies refuse to take control?

Members of the deputation said that the bodies interested would be willing to take control.

Mr Ormsby; Even if the proclamation is annulled, that would not take us far enough. We would still have to face the question of licenses being extended to the King Country. “ TREMENDOUS ALTERATION IN . POLICY.”

Mr Massey; You are asking for a tremendous alteration in the policy of the State in asking for municipal control. This is a matter upon which I could not possibly commit the Government. Mr Wilkie: If has always been an extremely payable business.—(Laughter.) Mr Massey: Oh, I have rn doubt as to its being profitable.-^-(Laughter.)

Mr WTlkie: At present it is a question of either open hotels or sly grog-shops. - Mr Martin: Can you give any hope of an annulment of the proclamation?

Mr Massey; That is a matter of too great an importance for any individual Minister to make a statement about.

Mr Short: We hope that the question of party will be kept out of the matter. Mr Massey: Yes; the matter is entirely outside of party. ( Mr Ormsby said that although it was often supposed that the proclamation dated from 1885. it was not issued till 1887, and it then applied only to the Upper Wanganui district. The proclamation was not extended to Kawhia till 1894. Mr Martin suggested that if the proclamation could not be annulled, boroughs and town districts might be exempted. Mr Massey : I would be inclined to go to the whole length, if you got the opportunity and licenses were granted in the King Country, to prohibit the whole of the Native race there. Mr Ormsby : My experience is that there is more abuse of liquor by Natives in the King Country than there is in licensed areas. AN UNSATISFACTORY POSITiON. Mr Massey said that the position in regard to liquor in the King Country was very 'unsatisfactory. He did not think that anything could be worse than the present position. Those entrusted with the administration of the land there had told him that sly grog-selling had been reduced almost to a science, and that it was very difficult to secure convictions. He would place the representations of the deputation before the Cabinet. As far as the Licensing Bill itself was concerned, it would go to the second reading debate in its present form. Any member would be free to move amendments in committee.