THE LIQUOR TRADE.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16817, 8 June 1926, Page 4

THE LIQUOR TRADE.

J DEPUTATION TO HON. J. A. YOUNG. NEED FOR LICENSING REFORM. BILL PROPOSED THIS SESSION. A large and influential deputation representing the New Zealand Alliance and including men and women from all classes of the community, waited on the Minister for Health, Hon. J. A. Young, at Hamilton, this morning, and placed before him their views on the question of licensing legislation and reform. His Worship Ilia Mayor (Mr .1. B. Fow) presided. Apologies for nonattendance were received from Drs. Douglas and Spencer and Messrs C. L. Mac Diarmid, W. Goodfellow and Geo. Bo yes.

His Worship the Mayor, on behalf of the Alliance congratulated the Minister on his elevation to Ministerial rank. The appointment had won the greatest approval from those who recognised his loyalty to the no-license cause, and to those who remembered so well and gratefully the stand he took up during the efficiency campaign of 1919. The Alliance held that while it was indisputable that efficiency was necessary then, it was undeniably essential now, so as to clean up the aftermath of the war. The deputation represented the Church, which saw behind the scenes, and the misery following in the wake of the trade; the commercial community who knew how liquor clogged the progress of the people; industry, which realised that drink was a menace to progress; labour and capital, womanhood, representing the home, all of whom are banded together in increasing strife with a traffic, rank with age and foul with crime.

During the last few days, added His Worship, we have seen how the traffic, with its wealth, defies the will of the people of a great city, and made it that a magistrate of the King should find it necessary to publicly dissociate himself from the (hidings of a committee of which lie was chairman. The Auckland morning newspaper bad descrihed the episode of the Ambassadors' license as a blot on the city. Blot on the Community. There was, however, a still greater blot on a civilised community. The deputation would ask the Minister to stand by them when they asked for the removal of the iniquitous handicap—the third issue—or introduce the democratic, reasonable, and sporting method of first past the post. "Assured, Sir, as we are of your active interest in the welfare of the people, I feel that I need add no more," concluded His Worship. (Applause.) The chief spokesman, Rev. 11. G. Gilbert, endorsed the Mayor's remarks, and said the deputation was there to champion the ideals the Alliance stood for. In the light of pending legislation the question was fraught with the gravest issues for the good of this country. On behalf of the Alliance the speaker strongly urged that the ballotpaper at the next licensing referendum contain two issues—National Continuance and National Prohibition only. The New Zealand Alliance also expressed opposition to

i. Any extension of time between the licensing polls. 2 Any extension of licenses beyond June 30 next following the date of a poll at which National Prohibition is carried.

3 Any increase or redistribution of licenses.

■i Any provision for granting removal of licenses beyond the limits now permitted by law. 5 Any increase in the facilities for the manufacture, importation and sale of alcoholic liquors.

0 The appointment of licensing boards' or other authority, being substituted for the election of licensing committees.

7 Any alteration in the law which now provides that the licensing poll be taken on the same day as the general election. The New Zealand Alliance also ursed amendments to the Licensing Act to give effect to the following proposals:

1 That no alcoholic liquor shall be supplied to hotel guests or otherwise during the hours when the sale of liquor to the general public is prohibited.

2 That no licensed premises shall be permitted to have more than one bar.

3 That protection from alcotiolio liquors be afforded to the natives of the King Country In accordanqc with the pact mado on the opening of that territory.

•i That provision be mado for tho conviction of any person who purchases for or supplies any youth under 21 years of age with intoxicating liquor, tho li'OS Licensing Act be amended so 5 That section 35, sub-clause (c) of as to make it definite whether posters and placards erected prior to the day of the poll can remain in £:ght on polling clay. <; The New Zealand Alliance reiterates its previous request that section 04 of the Licensing Act 1918 be repealed in order that the people might have an opportunity to vote again on the question after prohibition lias been carried and had a fair trial. The New Zealand Alliance urges amendments to the Legislature Act to give effect to the following proposals: 1 Enrolment of electors in precinct or polling booth areas. 2 Enrolment of electors exclusively through Government officials. ;i Voting in precinct or polling booth areas. ■i Absentee voting on permit only. increase of Drunkennoss. The Alliance organiser for the Waikato district, Mr YY. (.'.. Watcrhonso, said it was a conservative estimate to say that 27 per cent, of Ihe cases of our Courts were due to intoxicating drink. Drunkenness was undoubtedly on the increase. Police Court returns covering the year 1924 showed an increase of 43 i in drunkenness cases. 70 in assaulting, obstructing ov resisting the police, J.">o of failing to maintain wives, and ;»('.('. of being on licensed premises after hours. The total arrests for drunkenness in 1924 were 7570, of which 7440 were recorded as summarily convicted. The total drunkenness offences for 1923 were 7 13d. The breakers of the licensing law tolo.l IJfiSC, as against 270,'i for the year 102:5, an increase of S-.'3. "There were," added Mr Walcrhouse, "7!)0 cases of breaches of prohibition orders issued, as against SOT) in 102.'}, a decrease of l;>. The number or persons convicted of drunkenness and recorded :>v Ihe police as not previously convicted, wire in 1924, UiSii, which shew- an increase of r>t."i as compared with 1923The number of prosecutions against holelkeepers in 192 i numb wd 457. as r.ffuinsl roil in 1923, a decrease of I i. Reply by (Minister. Til ' Minister was creeled with applause on vising to reply, lie desired to lhank the speakers for th?ir eonf Continued at foot of next column.;

gratulations on behalf of the section of the community they represented,, and was pleased to moot reprosentatives interested in this groat social question. He had his own views on Hie question, and his call to Cabinet had not caused him to deviate from his election pledges. (Applause). The Prime Minister had told the people that a Licensing Bill would be introduced.. This promise would be given effect to, and in all probability the legislation brought down during the coming session.

Mr Young made it clear that the Bill would be introduced as a nonparty measure, and would be in tho hands of Parliament itself to determine what should go in and what may be struck out, without prejudice lo the fate of the Bill, so far as the Government was concerned. As for the arguments put before him. Hie most of them he was in agreement with, and was with the deputation as far as the general issu-? was concerned. He pointed out that the licenses were created by and were Hie property of the community, and placed at the -erviee cf Hie hotelkeepers for pertain fixed fees. Speaking as a private individual, ho realised that drink was responsible for a greal deal of inefficiency, and bo was assured by experts that a larga amounl of sickness and cr.':«inal!iy was the result of the excessive indulgence in liquor by the people. j Express Will of the People. The Minister made it clear, so far as his view was concerned, that prohibition would have to come about by Ihe express will of the people, and eouid not be forced on tho country by act of Parliament. II was apparent from the last two polls that Hie people did not waul Slate purchase, and control and the great issue was prohibition 0C licensing. He would infinitely prefer the present system of licensing than the control of the trade by the. Stale, and was opposed lo the Government taking any hand in the business at aIL (Applause). He would have no hesitation in voting accordingly. (Applause), lie was also opposed to tho measure whereby Iherc was no provision for a rurther poll being taken, lie would vote in the House for ft clause to be inserted in the Bill which would provide, in II vent of prohibition being carried, thai a poll of tho electors be !ak".i lo determine wheIhet- license should be restored. (ApThe Minister was accorded a hearty, vote of thanks for his attentive, hearing.