THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1399, 31 May 1923, Page 4

THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

SUGGESTED THIKI) ISSUE. I CORPORATE CONTROL. (By Telegraph. Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Challenged to produce an acceptable scheme for reform of the liquor traffic, four members of the Anglican Synod at Auckland some time ago produced proposals, which more recently have been considered and amended by a conference of various branches. The amended proposals, which the conference desires to see made an issue in the licensing ballot paper in place of the present issue of State control, provide for vesting the liquor trade in a corporation or directorate on which the State shall be represented by a majority of members, and which would be required to limit its dividends to 10 per cent, devoting any excess to national purposes. Under the scheme suggested the ownership of licensed premises, the manufacture, importation and wholesale distribution of alcoholic liquors in the Dominion would be exclusively vested by Act of Parliament in the corporation. All owners of hotel premises, or lessees from local bodies of hotel premises, all holders of brewers’ licenses or wholesale licenses would be required to sell to the corporation their properties. and in the case of brewers and wholesale licenses, their business as manufacturers and wholesale vendors. '( be scheme involves removal from tlie h.illoi. paper of the State control issue and subslil.itt.ion of a third issue called “corporate control," providing for carrying into effect the system above described it is understood i hat those comprising the conference favoured the idea that if the corporate control issue were carried i.hen should be no further poll mu the lisetising issue for nine or ten Veil rs. WELLINGTON. This Day. Sit t inge have concluded here (d i lie conference of delegates ot the Anglican Synod (Auckland j. associat ed clubs, .Moderate League, and the licensed trade of New Zealand, a summary of whose scheme for reform ■ ~i the liquor trade was telegraphed | vest era;: v. It was decided to form a body 1.0 be known as the New Zea--1 jiand Licensing Deform Association 1 :o carry into effect proposals agreed ! to by the conference, pending legisla- { tion or a reterendum. The proposals | are to be the subject immediately of i;i petition to Parliament, including 1 State supervision over manufacture, adoption of a Government standard I (if ;.u|uu;. licensing of barmen, abolij lion of licensing committees, and (be ! app .intment of a permanent licensing body comprising three stipendiary magistrates for each district