LICENSING REFORM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 66

LICENSING REFORM.

PETITION TO PARLLAMENT. (From Ocr Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 18. A petition that in the next licensing referendum the existing issue of State control be replaced by that of corporate control was presented to Parliament. Details of the proposal, which is the outcome of a conference of representatives of certain members of the Anglican clergy, the New Zealand Moderate League, the associated clubs, the brewers, the wine and spirit merchants, the licensed victuallers, and the freehold owners of hotel properties, are set out in the petition. It is proposed that the ownership of licensed premises and the manufacture, importation, and wholesale distribution of alcoholic liquors in the dominion be exclusively vested in a corporation which shall have a nominal capital divided into shares equivalent in amount to the value of the assets taken over. Twenty per cent, of the shares shall be "a” shares and 80 per cent, “b” shares. The “a” shares shall be allotted to the Government of New Zealand without any payment in cash, but shall be paid for by the dividends accruing upon them. No dividend paid to the shareholders of the corporation shall exceed 10 per cent. All excess profits shall be applied to national purposes, such as the extinction of the national debt, payment of hospital subsidies, etc. The corporation shall be directed solely by a board of nine “practical and experienced men”—five (including the chairman) nominated by the Government and four by the “b” shareholders. It is proposed that if the electors adopt the proposal outlined above, no further poll shall be taken for nine years.