THE LICENSING BILL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 176, 4 November 1910, Page 5

THE LICENSING BILL

THE NATIONAL PROHIBITION POLL. SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives last night, Sir Joseph Ward moved the second reading of the Licensing Amendment Bill. The measure drafted last year had been set aside, owing to disagreement of the parties, but it"furnished a useful guide for action. Unless the great parties in the House agreed to sink minor diffeveaces and co-operate with a view of getting this important licensing legislation carried, there would be little chance of the Bill being put through this session. The Bill represented what the Government considered best in the interests of the people. The chief innovation was the provision for the vote on national prohibition. It was inevitable that this question would he submitted to the people sooner or later, if the State were not to assume control of the liquor traffic. The logical outcome of no-license was prohibition. Upon the broad principle of democratic Government, if the people desired national prohibition they should be given an opportunity of voting for it. The financial aspect of the matter had to be borne in mind in view of the possibility of prohibition being carried, and the consequent necessity for readjustment of taxation. He believed £BOO,OOO in revenue would require to be made up in four years, in the event of prohibition being carried. He recognised there was much in the Bill which sectional interests might object to, but unless the Bill were approached in a spirit of compromise it would be hopeless to expect it to go through any session of Parliament. Some important amendments to the Bill would be necessary, and more would be demanded, but he hoped members who considered there was much good in the measure would not lose the good for the sake of minor objections.

The Premier's speech was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. When the House resumed in the evening he proceeded. The broad prineiple.s of the Bill, he said, were the provisions for voting for and against national prohibition; abolition of bottle licenses and barmaids; prohibiting the sale of liquor to persons under the age of 21 years; abolition of the half poll. He was prepared to consider whether the issues should be put more clearly later on. He moved the second reading. MR. MASSEY PREFERS LOCAL OPTION.

Mr. Massey said lie had listened careI fully to the Premier's speech, in which. very little had been .said in fayor of the Bill. Sir Joseph Ward had carefully avoided reference to some of the more important provisions of the measure. The bringing down of the Bill at tjiis late hour of the session must have come as a surprise to most people. He had come to the conclusion that the Bill was of a of—a Bill on which it was opinion. The make it appear tjiati interests of each, par^f'coricerneffi The great body of the people' outside wse parties ought Jo be considered. tRw. most important principle rh our licensing legislation.was thai'th£ jfcCeople had,j6ie the right by th.pt 'votes to uie liquor traffic, of any one Thtf gfeajbody of people who m%ht Tte^alled.,ftnoderates" were not the Bill. Theiqitegtjon WMfis!w es on various issued" was* 1 to be considered,, in nised that thSi3E@rm«itein favor of a bare majority were increasing daily, as in every district. ..yhßue natllcettS* was carried the trade also, demanded tltyt majority in the hope of securing restoration of licenses. The most important clause in the Bill was clause 3, which provided that a vote for national prohibition would /punt for local prohibition, and vice versa, "• He did not think this clause would go* bevond the committee stage. ,Fpri himself, he preferred local option, and he intended to abidß by it. Many people of moderate opinion voted no-license who would never vote for national prohibition. The Bill was a new departure, ajid the House ouelit not to be asked to agree to it, in view of the fact that the majority of members were pledged to: abide by the existing legislation. The Premier had made I mistake in introducing the Licensing Bill this session. He #ould not object to the second readrhg Bill, which contained some good and some objectionable principles. The latter might 'be weeded out in committee. ;

Sir Joseph Ward, in replying, claimed that he had dealt with every proposal contained in the Bill. When the Bill was in the committee stage he was prepared to amend it, so as to allow the moderate party to cast its vote otherwise than for national prohibition. He would not ask any member to break his pledges! on the liquor problem, but there was nothing to gain by postponing licensing legislation. He was of opinion that State control would not become a Jive issue in the Dominion for many years to come. The Bill was read a second time on the voices, and set down for committee tomorrow.