COMMISSION ON LICENSING

Southland Times, Issue 25655, 24 April 1945, Page 4

COMMISSION ON LICENSING

Views Of Alliance LOCAL OPTION POLLS FAVOURED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 23. “The general question of the continuance in the Dominion of the manufacture, distribution and sale, of intoxicating liquors and, if so in what form should continue to be subject t 6 the will of the people, directly expressed by vote,” said Mr F. Campbell Spratt, presenting the case for the New Zealand Alliance before the Royal Commission on Licensing. Urging the retention of the national triennial licensing poll, Mr Spratt said it brought to the notice of the. people their responsibility for the continuance of the liquor traffic. It was one of the few restraints on the conduct of the trade by the people, as distinct from the authorities. In the case of brewers it was the only limit placed on the perpetuity of the licence, except in the case of misconduct. If at any time more than two issues were submitted to the electors the principle of preferential voting should be applied, said Mr Spratt. The alliance, he added, could see no reason why a proposal for trust control, if apparently supported by a considerable body of opinion, should not be submitted to the electors. RESTORATION OF POLLS The continuance or establishment of the trade in each electorate or licensing district should be subject to the will of the people in the several districts in which the premises, licensed or proposed to be licensed, were situated. Such will to be expressed by means of local option polls, said Mr Spratt. The local option poll existing before 1910 should be restored with two issues, “licence” or “no-licence,” and upon the carrying of no-licence in any licensing district no retail or wholesale licence should be permitted and no new brewery licence be granted in the district. Failing the adoption of this proposal provision should be made for the holding of local option in any “licence” district on the petition of not less than 20 per cent, of the electors. In the case of a no-licence district any poll for restoration should be taken only on a similar petition. The alliance favoured the principle of a bare majority for all polls, but till the reintroduction of local option polls it submitted that the present majority (three-fifths) should be retained for the carrying of restoration, because {inder the present law a restoration poll, once carried, was final as a prerequisite to the granting of new licences. “We support the demands of the consumer that this monopolistic trade should be made to conform to, the highest standards of service,” said Mr Spratt. The alliance claimed that, tariff for tariff, the trade gave no better accommodation in its hostelry business than did the private house, and as to the bar trade, there had been criticism of the prices and measures, public conveniences and sanitary arrangements’in bars. The alliance urged that standard prices and measures be used in all places where liquor was sold or served to the public. If the practice was to charge as much for a small glass of beer as for a large one, this was to be deprecated, not only as an imposition upon the customer, but as an incentive to increased drinking. The provision of board and lodging for the travelling public was essentially a separate and distinct trade from the providing of liquor in a bar or lounge. The divorce by law of these functions would be in the best interests of the public. It would stimulate and encourage the training of a superior type of hostel keeper, and would defend the traveller from the impact of the drinking trade. It was submitted that there should be no extension of licences to restaurants,' cabarets or other places of amusement, including public dances. The alliance deprecated most strongly any suggestion of drinking on the continental system, particularly family drinking, by which a man was able to take his wife and children into restaurants and other places for the consumption of liquor. ATTITUDE OF CHURCHES Commenting upon the affiliations of the alliance, counsel said it was looked upon by all Protestant churches, with the exception of the Church of England, as their mouthpiece, handmaiden and spearhead for the attack upon the licensed trade. It had also received the support of many notable Anglicans and Roman Catholics, while its general temperance activities certainly had the support of the majority of the members of both those communions. The alliance had also received the support of lodges and many other social organizations. The alliance had been described as the watch dog of the trade, and that term had been by no means inappropriate. The alliance was opposed to any proposals that would further entrench the trade, which counsel described as possessing vast economic resources and considerable political and social power Any suggestion that that power should be increased must receive careful scrutiny. “We say that there are inherent evils in the trade, but in the last resort the trade is governed by public opinion, as expressed in legislation,” he said. “There is an urgent need for information for the public, and especially for the youth of the country. There is no evidence that the liquor trade in the slightest degree desires to have an instructed youth and public opinion.”