KING COUNTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 224, 21 September 1928, Page 14

KING COUNTRY.

PROPOSED LICENSING POLL.

INTRODUCTION OF LIQUOR.

THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY ISSUE,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

Amendments to the Licensing Bill to enable Maori and European residents of the King Country to take a plebiscite on the question of the introduction of licenses into that area, were introduced by Governor's Message, when the committee stage had been completed in the House to-night. The Prime Minister remarked that this question had been before the Government for many years, and the amendments would give the right to take a poll and indicate the procedure. Mr. H. G. R. Mason: On a bare majority ? The Prime Minister: No. Mr. Armstrong: It's another licensing bill, and will take a week. Mr. Coates: Oh dear, no. Answering further questions, the Premier said the proposed majority to carry a proposal was three-fifths. Both pakeha and Maori members for the district had asked successive Governments to give them this opportunity of placing the matter before Parliament, and to do so it was necessary to have a Governor's Message. At that stage he would express no opinion whatever on the subject. Delay Suggested! Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) said this was a local option bill. Why should not every other district in New Zealand have a right to vote on local option. It was most unfair that a Governor's Message should be brought down in unfair circumstances at 11.15, without having been circulated in the country. Mr. Armstrong (Christchurch East) thought it would have been better to introduce a new short bill. If this amendment was a'dopted many members who would otherwise vote for the bill would not now vote for it. Mr. J. A. Lee: A good job too. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland, said it was too bad to have such an amendment brought in at such a late hour, when members had been without sleep for nearly 24 hours. He would be glad if the Prime Minister would report progress. In any case, the whole thing was a waste of time, because the biir was never intended to reacli the Statute Book. The question wrapped up in this new amendment, which had been sprung on an unsuspecting House, was ono of a most acutely controversial nature. Mr. J. C. Rolleston (Waitomo) said it could not be charged that a surprise had been sprung, since the Prime Minister had intimated on the introduction of the Licensing Bill that an amendment of this nature would be brought down. The amendment provides for a poll of European and Maori electors of the Kin" Country, simultaneously with the next licensing poll after the passing of the Act to determine the question whether licenses be granted or not. The necessarv majority is three-fifths of the votes cast. If license is carried, a licensing committee is to be set up, and will exercise all the ordinary powers vested in such a body. The number of publicans' licenses granted shall not exceed one for every complete 500 electors of the district at the date of coming into force of the determination, and shall not be loss (if a sufficient number of such licenses is duly applied for) than one for .every complete 1000 electors of the district at that time. There was no discussion after Mr. Rolleston's short speech, and on a division the amendment was defeated by 21 votes to 48. ■