Legal and Parliamentary Dept.

White Ribbon, Volume 29, Issue 10, 1 June 1958, Page 5

Legal and Parliamentary Dept.

Please read at Union meetings

A remit from the N.Z. Miners’ Union, advocating the extension of hotel hours to 11 pm. was rejected by the Federation of Labour Conference last month. The majority-view was that no change should be made to existing law, unless the matter was first decided through another referendum. The Prime Minister supported this in a statement made to me last year when he was Leader of the Opposition. I am, however, deeply concerned about other undersirable possibilities connected with the Liquor Trade. A Select Committee on the Wine Industry will be presenting its report to Parliament. If wine manufacturers’ demands are acceded to, we may face the possibility of the issuing of wine licenses without any let or hindrance to any person approved by the police; the sale of wines by any grocer who wants a license and the opening of bottle stores in suburbs and townships. There are 159 winemakers in N.Z. and ir. view of anticipated shortages, it has been suggested by themselves and others, that they distil brandy and gin. Cabinet has been discussing this matter. If distillation is allowed, responsibility for th issue of distillers’ licenses would rest with the Minister of Customs. There is a danger also, that certain selected restaurants might receive licenres and such wine would be served after 6 p.m. As a new Government is in power, and in view of possible snap legislation, I am asking Unions to write again at once to their local M.P.’s Parliament will be sitting shortly after you'receive this issue. Please protest against any proposal for: 1. The change of hours of liquor sales without a referendum; 2. The sale of wines in restaurants; 3. The employment of barmaids; 4. The distillation of spirits; 5. Any increase of facilities for the sales of wines; 6. The sale of wines or spirits in grocery stores. When writing, look up the resolution passed at Convention, in the May W'.R., and use these in making your protests. Also bring these matters up at your local church women’s meetings, and if possible, get them to send in protests, too. I have found that these groups often just need asking to do this. Replies have been received to resolutions, as follows: Re Asian students in N.Z. The Minister of External Affairs says, that, if students come privately, they obtain permits from the Labour Department, which considers each case on its merits. Many come from under the Colombo Plan and these cases are controlled by the External Affairs Department. Some Students applying are not necessarily considered suitable, and in any case, it is not possible to absorb all who would like tc come for study. “It may be that the alleged delays are, in fact, a reflection of the inability of universities and other educational institutions in N.Z. to receive more than a limited number of students each year! The Minister asks for specific cases in which there appears to have been unreasonable delay in deciding an application, and he says that he will see that such cases are investigated. Re Junvenile Delinquency The Prime Minister says, “I assure you that the Government will always do everything in its power to help the young people of N.Z. and the representations you have made in this connection will be given very careful consideration.”

Note: We suggest that the Government has it in its power to exercise stricter censorship over films and radio, to curtail gambling and to prevent young people from obtaining liquor. It is obyious to us that it is not exercising its powers as it could in this problem. Re daily Radio Bible Readings The Director of Broadcasting writes: “ We are gratified that these programmes are so widely heard and' have pleasure in passing on your comments to the office concerned in their production.” Re Local Option Polls The Prime Minister says that he will discuss this with his colleagues and wdien he has further information he will write again. Re alteration of hours of sale of liquor in grocery stores, employment of barmaids, sale of liquor in restaurants, the Prime Minister says, that he will arrange for all these matters to be properly examined and brought before his colleague. Re Production and Sale of Grape Juice The Minister of Agriculture writes, “Last session the Parliamentary Committee on the Wine Industry recommended that grape growers divert surplus grapes into the production of grape juice. Three concerns are producing grape juice commercially with gradually increasing sales. A Viticultural Advisory Committee has recently been set up to help the Industry in the production and aistiibution of its prouucts and this committee will no doubt assist in the production of grape juice." Re tale of Medicine* containing Alcohol * The Minister of Health says, “It is certainly not my intention to support any alteration to the Licensing legislation that would widen the scope for alcoholic medicants by pharmacists, but I doubt whether requiring medical prescriptions in, these transactions could be justified. This would lead to situations where the pharmacist, could not, in his own discretion, sell a bottle of medicated wine, without a doctor’s prescription, yet across the street, a hotel keeper could sell a similar article quite freely. The resolution also appears to oxerlook the most useful and indeed, essential place of alcohol in the art ot compounding medicines.” —L. K. V. Grigg (Director Legal and Parliamentary Dept.) •