THE LICENSING BILL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19993, 9 November 1927, Page 9

THE LICENSING BILL

MR COATES’ MEASURE Strong Opposition Indicated by First Reading Debate STATE CONTROL CUT OUT (Per Pre si \i«oriation.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 8. The Licensing Amendment Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to-day by Governor-General’s Message. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) made the following statement:— “This Bill represents the fulfilment of the undertaking given by me to the House as well as to many delegations which have waited upon me from time to time, that an opportunity would be given in this Parliament for consideration of the licensing question“As is well known, the licensing question is one which has always been treated as a matter outside ordinary party politics; that is to say, members of Parliament have always had a free hand in recording their opinions and convictions in regard to any licensing legislation which may come before the House. There is no intention whatever of departing from this custom in thrpresent instance, an 3 as far as memb< on the Government side of the House are concerned, they are quite unfettered by any party ties in their consideration of the proposals which arc submitted in this measure. “The Bill, therefore, is in no sense a Government measure. The proposals are the outcome of my own consideration of the question, and I submit them in the hope that they contain features calculated to gwe a load upon questions which occupy a foremost place in the minds of those who study New Zealand’s social and economic life. Tn making this statement, I would like to refer to my own personal position in regard to certain views expressed by me at the last general election. “I then stated that I was in favour of the three issue ballot paper. The Bill now before the House eliminates the third issue—that is, the State Control issue. Careful consideration and examination of the figures recorded for the third issue have led me to the conclusion that its existence can hardly be justified. Fifty-Five Per Cent “At the same time, to ensure that a drastic change such as the carrying of National Prohbiition would involve should have a stable majority in its favour, the Bill piovides for not less than 55 per cent, of the total votes recorded at a licensing poll as being necessary to carry National Prohibition. It is also advisable that if prohibition is carried it should not be reversed except by a stable majority.

“The elimination of the third issue the institution of a 55 per cent majority, and the substitution of licensing polls at every alternate general election in place of the present triennial polls, are among the chief features of the provisions of the Bill. As members will recollect, the Bill was submitted to the House last year, but I cannot say that its reception generally was encouraging. On the contrary, its proposals seemed to be unwanted and the present proposals are submitted in the belief that they are worthy of very careful consideration by Parliament.” Dealing furtner with the measure, Mr Coates said that in the event ot the renewal of licenses, licensing committees would have greater discretionary powers in adjusting licenses according to accommodation requirements of the districts. Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) said the Bill had come down very late and he hoped if it were amended to suit the majority of members it would, not be conveniently dropped. The New Zealand Alliance was not asking for anything by way of favour—what they wanted was one man, one vote; viz, the euality of voting. They only wanted justice. The Third Issue The trade, said Mr McCombs wanted the retention of the existing law with its existing handicap, which meant 40,000 votes to them. The Stafe Control vote counted as Continuance, which it was not, necessarily. Voting should be as in Queensland, which proved that the State Control vote was not a necessary vote for Continuance, in New Zealand there was a handicap of 39,200 votes and by this Bill the Government was going to increase the hanulicap by 67,a00 votes. Who had askeo for this? No one, and those who haa been asking for justice would be highly indignant. To give a two-issue ballot paper and then increase the handicap by 28,000 votes was treating public Jpinion with contempt. All that he asked for was that the Government should give members a fair opportunity to vote on this question, and that the people should be given a free and unfettered opportunity to a vote on liquor by the people. The House had no right to settle the final issue of the liquor question and} it had no right to devise handicaps which would favour the liquor trade. Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said he must protest against his right to vote for State Control being taken away from him. He was one of the 56,000 who had voted for State Control and if he had no chance to vote that way he would vote for Continuance. There had been no mandate from the people to take his right away from him, and if the forms of tho House permitted him to do so, he would* endeavour to have State Control restored to the ballot paper. Votes for Maoris Sir Apirana Ngata (Eastern Maori) asked the Government to consider tho advisability of permitting 20,000 Maori electors to vote on the issue. If tho Maoris were entitled to send members to Parliament, they should be capable of giving a vote on this issue of liquor or no liquor. Mr W. J. Jordan (Manakau) said* it would come as a surprise to find a twoissue ballot paper loaded against one side- The Bill was useless and n should be dropped right away. Mr G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) said he would like the Prime Minister to say whether the Bill had been adopted by the Reform Party caucus. Last year

he introduced a measure which he Baid was “nobody’s child.” Was this BUI of tho same character? Was it a serious attempt to solve the problem, or was it just a kite being flown? If so, the sooner the House knew what the position was the better. He stressed the need for better hotel accommodation throughout the Dominion, but it was impossible to do this on a three year’s tenure. Mr R. W. Smith (Waimarino) and Mr J. C. Rolleston (Waitomo) put in a plea for the right of the people in the King Country to decide whether they should have licenses in that locality. Mr H. Atmore (Nelson) maintained that those who favoured State Control should have a right to vote by that issue. In any case he did not anticipate that the Government was scriows about the ißll which was not intended to pass. Government Will Pass Bill The Prime Minister, in the course of a further statement, said the Bill contained his own ideas on the question. It had not been before Cabinet or the Reform caucus, and was in no sense a Government measure. It was, however, intended to pass the Bill even if they had to stay there till Christmas to do it. As to the questions raised by Sir Apirana Ngata and Messrs Smith and Rolleston he had not introduced those controversial questions but if such amendments were submitted to the House, ample opportunity would be given to consider them. The Bill was read a first time