A SURMISING LEAP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8112, 10 September 1904, Page 4

A SURMISING LEAP.

The Premier is w«ll pleased. He is *' over the first fence," as he describes it ; in other words, he hae succeeded! ia kav- . ing^his Licensing 1 Bill read a second time without debate. The collapse of the flebato naturally came as a great Surprise. The rumour that a combromifie had been, arrived at between the rival parties, although it indicated the possibility of a shortened debate;, certainly did not imply that the second reading would be carried without discussion. That the unexpected has happened) may mean nothing more than a desire on the part of the opponents of the Bill .to hold their hands until the committee stage is reached. At the same time it must be confessed that it lends a shade of colour to the story that a compromise is possible. ■ v * But compromise or not, it is perfectly clear that the Bill will not be allowed 1 to pa«a in its present shape. Even alloY/ing that the prohibitionists were caught napping yesterday, the mere fact is a quite sufficimt reason for expecting that they will be wide awake when the next stage is reached. Their utterances after the carrying of the second reading leave no doubt on this point. Mr T. E. Taylor promised! that the Bill would be fought clause by clause in committee; Mr Fowlds predicted "a> warm fight" in . committee, adding that he anticipated that the no-license party would be able to knock out sufficient clauses to causa the Abandonment of the Bill; while ' outside the precincts of the House the Rev F. W. Isitt was heard to declare that mot even the good points of the Bill would now- find their way into "Hansard." From this me may safely infer that the Bill ie destined to meet with opposition in quite as 9erious a form as the early criticisms of it led us to anticipate. After all, the first fence in a. steeplechase is generally ariunr important obstacle. It is made easy purposely in order that the competitors shall not be undnly taxed before they . have 'warmed to their work. It is when the last stages of the race have been reached that the shrewd owner finds true satisfaction in seeing his horse jumping, correctly. Bo with the Licensing Bill. '% will be \ »»rly enough for the Premier to talk ■bout being satisfied when the Bill has got nearly to the end of the committee stage ■without having -been amended; out of Irecognition. At thS same time we gladly concede that as far as the debate has gone Mr Seddon has some causa for feeling pleased. It is not every day thajfe a Bill containing such a wealth, of debate '■■ eble matter pafesea its second reading almost without comment. . ■ -