THE COMING OPTION POLLS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1124, 26 October 1911, Page 20

THE COMING OPTION POLLS.

WHAT VOTERS ARE CALLED UPON TO DO. '-'THE EFFECT OF THE NEW LAW. In viejw of the proximity of the Option Polls it is--desirable that the position dn _which the./electors of the Dominion are. ...placed should be stated,, so . that .the effect of their 'votes oh the Nb-License and Prohibition issues' may be clearly understood. -Under the Licensing Act Amendment of last year every elector has the right-to vote on two separate ballot papers. The first provides for local No-License or Continuance, and .the second, for National Prohibition or'Continuance. The Ballot Papers will ’be worded as follows: — ; ; A I vote for Continuance. I vote for No-License. B - I vote against National Prohibition. I vote for National Prohibition. The law as it stands to-day is very different to that of 1893, when the restrictions imposed by the carrying of No-License were scarcely felt. Clubs Tetained their charters, liquor could be dispensed at social gatherings, and any two or more people might club

together for the purchase of beer, by the Trade in railway freights in .wine or spirits. The Act of 1904 abolished all Club Charters in NoLicense districts, and introduced more inquisitorial methods in conection with the purchase of liquor. The Act of 1910 is even more stringent. So m'any disabilities are now placed upon residents of No-License districts that the “No-License-No-Liqu-or” principle may be almost said to have been introduced. The right to import liquor is still retained, but hedged round with such conditions that an Elector may innocently commit some technical breach of the law that will land him in very serious difficulties. It is now illegal in a NoLicense. Electorate to provide liquor at Masonic banquets, sports, club dinners, smoke concerts, wedding parties, birthday parties, or indeed any other social function. This is apparent from Section 38 of the Licensing Amendment Act, of 1910, which reads: —

“It shall not be lawful within any No-License district for any person whomsoever to store or keep liquor for any other person, or to lease, let or hire, or permit, or suffer to be used any building or place belonging to or occupied by him. or in his possession, or under his control, or any part of any such building or place, for the purpose of storing, or keeping therein or thereon, any liquor for, or by any other person.”

The carrying of National Prohibition will render it “unlawful for 'any person to import into New Zealand, or to manufacture, sell or have in his possession, mtpxicating liquor of any description.” An exception is, however, made, providing for the use of intoxicating liquor for medicinal, scientific, sacramental, or, industrial purposes exclusively. Anyone, there; fore, found with fermented liquor in his possession would be guilty of a penal offence, punishable by fine and imprisonment." It has been stated by the Rev. E. Walker, that if Dominion Prohibition were carried, people would still be in a position to lawfully manufacture in their own homes beer for their consumption. Mr NChapman, K.C., of Wellington, expresses a directly opposite opinion, however. He says: —

Private Brewing.—Mr Walker is reported to have said that the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910, which prohibits with penalties the manufacture of intoxicating liquor of any kind, leaves it quite' lawful for any person to make home-made alcoholic beverages for consumption. He considers that things made at home are not “manufactured” —that the Act applies only'to liquors made for sale. In my opinion there is no foundation for the 'above opinion. For the purpose of construing'. the Act in question, the words “make” and “manufacture” are convertible terms. Intoxicating liquors made at home for use are as much manufactured as, if made at 'a brewery or a distillery for sale. The Act, if brought into force, would apply equally to the one and the other.” Prohibition strikes a deadly blow at the liberty of the subject. The primary object of Government is Liberty, and liberty has been well clefined as “the natural right of. every person .to freedom of 'action, limited only to the equal rights of every other Person. The carrying of National Frohibition would throw no less than 11,000 breadwinners at present directly employed by the Trade out of empWment, representing at least 50,000 men, women, and children. It would be necessary for the State to find o + her sources from which to obtain £930 000 per annum taxation at present paid by the Trade, the total abstainer bearing no part m it. instead of £250,000 a year being paid to New Zealand farmers for barley, hops, and malt, that , sum, or a large proportion of it would go to the Chinaman’,-the Hindoo,'and the Cingalee tea grower, as the white New Ze'aland fafmer cannot grow. tea. No less than £lOO,OOO a year is spent

New Zealand, and about £250,000 a year in rent, insurance, premiums, etc. The average earnings of the 11,000 persons at present directly engaged in the Trade in New Zealand, is at least £l5O, totalling the .enormous sum of £1,650,000 per annum,. Many thousands of people . in the country, who do not even recognise the fact, indirectly depend upon the continuance of the Trade for their livelihood and prosperity. Every Elector, therefore, will do well to ponder seriously over the situation before recording his or her vote, and weigh well the consequences of accepting such tremendous handicaps as No-License and National Prohibition would entail. EXTRACTS FROM THE “VANGUARD” OF APRIL 15th, 1911. (The “Vanguard” is the Official Organ of the N- Z. Alliance.)“Worth Remembering.” “Notes on the Licensing Amendment Act 1910.” 1. The Reduction vote has been eliminated by repealing Section 15 of the Principal Act. 2. A vote for National Prohibition has been given. (Section 15.) 3. Separate Ballot Papers will be used for each issue, which will be distinct in colour, and counted quite independently of each other. ( Section 15. 3.) 4. There cannot be any increase of wholesale licenses after next poll. (Section 5). TO. Lockers are abolished in NoLicense areas. (Section 38). 11. No place in a No-License district c'an ’be used as a place of resort for the consumption of liquor. (Section 37). 12. No new breweries can now be established in or within five miles of a NcTLicense district. (Section 47). 13. The Depot System is abolished within five miles of a No-License district. (Section 42). 14. The half poll demand is abolished by repealing Section 12, C. Principal Act. (See 6th Schedule). 15. Ten o’clock closing is now to be compulsory and universal. ‘(Section 75 Principal Act is repealed. (See 6th Schedule). 16. Chemists are limited to sell for medicinal purposes in medicinal quantities by adding “exclusively and in accordance with regulations made by the Governor-in-Council in that behalf,” 'after “purposes,” in 3.b. Principal Act. (See "Section 3, 6th Schedule).

17. Prohibits sale of medicated wines above 10 per cent, of proof spirit by adding, “and includes medicated wines containing piore than ten per centum of proof spirit/’ after word “Nature,” in the definition of “intoxicating liquor” in Section 4 of Principal Act. (See Section 4, 6th Schedule). 18. Local No-License comes into effect on the Ist July, following the poll in each Electorate .that has not less than three-fifths of all votes recorded in favour of that proposal. (Sections 4,1, 2,6). 19. National Prohibition will come into force on the expiration of four years after the day on which the election was taken, which decided the result. (Section 18). 20. National Prohibition shall remain in force until superseded by the determination of the electors. (Section 19). 21. No Licensing Poll shall be taken after National prohibition has been carried until the first General Election of members of Parliament, which is held after’the expiration of three years from the day that National Prohibition comes into force. (Section 23). 22. If National Restoration is carried, it will come into force in three months after the poll is taken- (Section 26). 23. It requires three-fifths of the votes given to carry either Local

No-License, Local Restoration, National Prohibition, or National Restoration. (Sections 4,9, 17, and 25). 24. If National Prohibition is carried, licenses shall ‘be granted at the rate of not less than one to each 1,000 Electors if applied for, and the Committee may grant one to each 300 electors if., applied for. (Section 27-d.). 25. If the Electors of any NoLicense district give a three-fifths vote for Restoration in their district, licenses shall be restored in three months from the date of the poll. (Sections 9,.. 1,2.). 26- The National Restoration issue will not be submitted to the voters until National Prohibition has been in force three full years, nor until the General Election following. (See Sections 23, 33; .and Schedule 5).