The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, NOV. 16th, 1909. LICENSING LAW AMENDMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14058, 16 November 1909, Page 4

The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, NOV. 16th, 1909. LICENSING LAW AMENDMENT.

The Hon. Dr Findlay must.be highly I pleased with himself on reading the expressions of satisfaction that have been uttered by so many representatives of the "two great parties " with whom he fixed up the "deal" on the licensing question. It was a funny business altogether. According to a statement made by Mr Leo Myers, of Auckland, one of the delegates for the Trade, there was a consultation but not a conference. The arrangement was made "without the leaders of the parties coming into personal contact." Dr Findlay perhaps feared: that "personal contact" might bocomc too intimate if they were brought face to face in ono room. As a politician, however, ho may not feel so well pleased with the coolness of the reception given to the agreement by Members of the House of Representatives, though he is less concerned in that respect, as ho has no constituency to heckle him about it. The fact that the Cabinet agreed that Dr Findlay should undertake the negotiations seems to be an indication that Ministers wero more than a little afraid that the control of legislation on this important subject would be taken out of their hands, by* the Hoiise passing the Bills introduced by Mr Laurenson on behalf of the New Zealand Alliance. By this clever move they have regained the control, and .it is in the last degree unlikely that they will relinquish it. Here then is another instance of the consideration of a great social question subordinated to political expediency. On ono point, Dr Findlay is to bo congratulated, and that is socuring the inclusion of the principle that every vote for no-license in any electorate shall bo a vote, for Dominion prohibition —"no licenso no liquor." This will clear the polls of any insincere vote in the districts whero licenses are in force; though on the- other hand it mav be applied in no-licensc_ districts/ through another form of insin-, cerity, to tako away |rom other districts what they, had themselves been deprived of. Ono of our Wellington contemporaries, the " Evening Post," as is shown in a paragraph in another column, is " amazed " that the Alliance party whs so foolish as to allow.itself to be outwitted by the representatives of the Trade, to the acceptance of tinprovision that each vote for no-lie* list; should havo a. double significance. The "Post" evidently estimates that a quite considerable proportion of the votes for no-license in the past; were insincere. It is well known, from admissions of the voters, that sonic were insincere; but we would not like to suppose that such votes were really numerous. Criticisms of the agreement diave brought out some curious opinions concerning its details. The periods allowed between the adoption and consummation of local no-license and national prohibition respectively are said to be longer than is necessary in either case; and on the other band that they arc not too long to enable licensees to dispose of their properties in the former, and both licensees and brewers in the latter case. It is also said that the Government will require, and that they will not require, five years in which to readjust -taxation if national prohibition is carried. Naturally, the licensees and brewers will carry on business as at present until tho very last moment, and will not disposo of their property until the law disposes of their business. For the same reason, there will bo no adjustment of taxation required iii tho case of national prohibition until.tho last yoar, as the Customs revenuo and beer exciso will not bo materially affected till then. There is therefore no reason 'why a longer term should bo allowed for the consummation of national prohibition than for local no-liccnso, so far as the disposal of the licensees', properties is concerned, for it will have precisely tho same effect on each licensee, whether his license is taken away by a. local vote or a national (inc. AVo do not remember to have ever seen the point raised in this connection, but it would certainly be interesting to know the. effect of femalo franchise on- tins local option polls.' It/has been customary- to note how many men and how many women vote at these polls, and it would bo a simple matter to brand each ballot paper "M" or "F " as the case may be, mid count thorn separately. It would probably furnish material for some interesting conclusions if votes wero separately counted in the same manner in general elec- . tions. But lliere is not much likelihood of the members of the Houso of Representatives adopting this idea. .- :