LIQUOR REFERENDUM

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1935, Page 5

LIQUOR REFERENDUM

PETITION IN THE KING COUNTRY. TAUMARUNUI BOROUGH SUPPORT, I (Special to Daily News.) Taumarunui, Oct. 17. A petition to be presented to Parliament asking that the residents of the King Country be granted a referendum on the liquor question was placed before the Taumarunui Borough Council by the clerk. The petition drew attention to the fact that there was now a very small proportion of Maoris, compared with Europeans, in the King Country population, whereas in other towns, where there was a much' larger Maori population, liquor licenses were granted. The suggestion was also made that if a license poll was carried in the King Country Maoris should be debarred from entering licensed premises. The town clerk said eleven local bodies in the King Country had agreed to sign the petition and four were standing out, though two might yet agree. Cr. A. Wilson said he would oppose the petition because it did not embody his proposal for commissioner control of the liquor traffic in the King Country. He contended that all profits from the trade should go to the local bodies. Cr. G. Steadman said the reason why Cr. Wilson’s proposal was not embodied in the petition was because a meeting of local body representatives held recently decided that they should ask the Government for a referendum before making any proposals about control of liquor. He believed there were already between 6000 and 7000 signatures on the petition, It was resolved that the petition be signed.