PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLVII, Issue 12283, 17 September 1904, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

By; Telegraph

From Our Special1-Parliamentary

iteporter

THE LICENSING BILL

THE COMPROMISE.

WELLINGTON, September 16. After the wires closed on Thursday night, the Premier sailed 'array on the democratic course of "trust the people.'" Clause a he declared 'to be democratic. He was amazed that anybody should think otherwise. He ripped it into his opponents with that painted weapon. The House got impatient. There weire cries of "An hour's speech.'' Mr Dut'hie asked the Oh'a-irnian's ruling, insistnng that the spirit cf the Standing O'rdeifs which limits committee ipeeciies to 10 minutes was outraged. Mi- W. Fr&ser (WakatipuJ^ who was in the chair, liacTno difficulty., He pocnted out that the Standing Orders place no limit on a member in charge of the Bill, and he ruled, the Premier' in order. There was uproar, but 'lie stuck to his (ruling and like.a-'born'ruler refused to allow it to be questioned—wouldn't hear •anyone further on the subject. Mi' McLaohlan tnied as <a point of order to move to repo-rfc progress, in order to get the Speaker's decision on "the subject. Thai is a motion which can. only come on, in a certain pretteribed way, and that is not the way of the lion, gentleman. .Subsidence of anld the Premier resumed full sail with, an amused Bouse puncituating hii? points. Tb 'those in the know the amusement wag keen. I am in, a position to state it hat a compromise was axrived at during the dinner adjournment.. The start just w&ls that Mi- Taylor had made a pro-' pos'al for a compromise, but Mr Taylor, it transpires, did not appear. Six men from each side, l'ieearse and no-license, met and arrang^ that on one side clause 9 and 10 muist be knocked out, and also the State control clause, and that on. the other the clubs' clause must stand, also the disoreitiionary power of endorsement and thalt the tied 'houses clause goes out. This compromise is generally accepted, and the Bill will go through on those linesi The Premier's speech on the no-license-no-liquor clatiis:© therefore appears in the light of a nnial protest against the ineviitlaible, which he announced in geneiral teums, as he .concluded that lie was ready to accept it in, the hope of better

tunes. • • . . 'Mr FowkLs, who followed him, pointedly declared! that if the Premier expected other things to :be passed lie would fiat pa-ess clauses 9 and 10 and certain, others. This 'brought the compromise to the minds of those m (the know. For his part lie said he -would plot take the Premier as having meant'Shis speech seriously. The discusssion. went on ding-dong, with eyes fixed on die nest, election. Later. By1 4 this morning the Licensing Bill igtiti past the State control clauses (No. 24 to 26 inclusive), sweeping them away, and'"wen* to toed. At half-past 2 the /House returned, under the impression (that ithe Bill would be resumed and ptolished off. It was resumed at 2.45, but was not polished off. It stuck in, the ."bog of Rake Potae. Tile member for Egmont proposed 'a now clause demanding Iwtol option for the Europeans of Roke Potae. Two of the Maoris backed him'up, and there wag; a determined struggle till 9 in the evening, when there was a. g!ood old-fashioned deadlock. The members bf the confea-enee set up a lament. Meeting one of them, I learned tittat they had thought of airthe b g things and neglected the rest. They are regretting tihtob this has turned out so Kbig 'On one side stood the men who- - iihink "we hflve .trust to protect the n'altives" ; on the Totter the -Inen who think the Maori salvation "cannot outweigh the desired of a large number of ,Wfites,:nofr-for whisky, .which they can, ifSfa, but W publi<sliousdS.' jn-Jw* are not > Aa tW'^^^l on sixteen p»geS'<?f Su^plent^ntai;yO^ef Papers caste up 7 pmmsd-vntaLjutteaa-menits raH*>us perion/^ 'and.tKe^xfnadM of the onlookers got puzzled apeavfc- the lairrangemente of "tiho conference? * * TOiech'ances of the Bill g&ttins through to-night ate recediing remotely. |