"WAIT AND SEE."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19172, 1 December 1927, Page 9

"WAIT AND SEE."

T WILL COUNCIL DO?

UCBNSING BILL IN COMMITTEE.

jHV gBAI, AMENDMENTS. jjj PEBSS Special Service.] ' WELLINGTON November 30. in the House of moused over the '■*%. has eased was evident to■Kl the Committee stage on the * I clauses was resumed. Memi„ cheerful mood, and the " .nA the amendments were tfie was a hint of trouble the Leader of the Opposition •"g B. Holland) declared i? oiphuis' that he did not i iZb-wss the least intention \W Bin being allowed to become Whe'were correct in his but[V'Llthe Houso was simply fooling iffStioii and they were wastwd public money. He in*jlE Prime Minister to give a de- "? Jinnee one way or another that tflnit the Bill definitely to *S!urfall its stages and to pass jfftnte Book.

jjjgg Minister's Attitude. Kibditl made the position quite .. T« the statement I made to the SATnight." replied the Prime SL "With the exception of CprwWing for the bare majority 1 favour of the amendments which K made to the Bill. So. long tin Bill contains the bare majority L, 1 shall be opposed to it—. Will you allow it to ,n the Statute Book? 'llfCoates: —and I will not voto for j,tiiiS' reading! jfot»-for the third rending? If Holland: But will you allow it in on. the Statute Book? £ Prime Minister: And I will not -the third'reading. If the House L that the Bill should go through 'ltd -the Upper House it will go jt, Jf the Upper House passes it jbiTS then to consider it when it Back. My advice to members jiWthey should keep an open mind. r't that I am entirely opposed principle of the bare majority icues of this kind. llrCoates went on to say numerous afoences had been held and it had !uo|de quite clear that a great mapV of the members desired the Bill time back where it had been left i It was a matter for his own judgHt ..The Bill could have stopped txiij vhere it was. Iff..D. Lysnar (Gisborne): It iiiitm been better to hare left Ite'too. (Laughter.) B» Prime Minister went on to say 111 if the Bill went to the Upper in tie members of that Chamber nH have an opportunity of overkfaf'it as they thought fit. What kjiould do with the Bill he was jiWleJfsay. He did not know.

I■'"■■•; "Wait and See." IftJMph Ward (Invercargill) asked [i» Praia-Minister if the Bill passed [it tiutd leading with the bare ma[Mniiil'.le was not in charge of it ••iHfewent through the LegislrtMwp,, would he sign the retWBMHTOn to the Governor-General should be put on the RiMlfiir' ftjJlijMinister: There has been • WHO phrase in use for the past "*• Mn, and without any dtisreW»the right hon. member, and **jt any intention of appearing to *m, 1 would ask him to "wait and iM Prime Minister then proceeded »«plam the amendments which it « been agreed should be made to wflill and which he introduced.

Bwtoration Polls. J» fi «t of these provided that wwntion polls shall be heldl in the "• manner as the present licensing P>, that is at every .General Election, j™ we tasting safeguard against «K'OM m on a dissolution of Par?f«, within its normal life. The ™>e Minister mentioned that only "Muring the last thirty years had ""lament dissolved within the nor- *" P«iod of three years, but it was jjj"*J[ to safeguard against such an A member: The chances are thirty 6 *• against. hj«. ?. rimo Minister (laughing): h that's not bad odds. 'W amendment was agreed to, as £ »«? another providing that Ration should be carried! by a decision instead of the j,™?. cent, originally provided to 3 B °me discussion concern%tt7 r -/ merfdment which P r °- tht «.«l " Restoration was carried »W? * i of licens€S to ** granted foSJ* ?*. more than one for every lad.!??™ ln . th « district concerned, SrI 1 "• than one for every 1500. JiJ™ ™Bgested that the minimum «J ,iJ* "censes should be one for M*T e ' 9ctors - D rJSP**. considered that there was for the alteration, described as a weakening to Wibltion Party. ' b *JrltnAA Sullivan (Avon): If you ■NwSu** effect of the alteration \ht*%. w .PP ort it as strongly as I 4^°J>P<>singit. )£s£'&£* give you another {jMWndment was agreed to. *>WH»„ * in the Si" governing *«3 l t J en i per cent - °f elecWorii" r °*terminatiion by a bare n»W, »k r : I th6 granting of licenses •irt ,T m restored to licensed \tqVl changes j„ the electoral ; *«« passed without alteraamendment that was j&Prorided that if National KSL,» carried at the first :SK 1»JI, licenses shall not «£"■» former no-license dis\WT "** Restoration is also l W»aLi c i &l P°ll conducted the national poll. a BD€cial P oll the elec\k tfo ™ Uow the same procedure w «ere it is desired to ?wLi^ 86 of a hotel which has TtaofiJS? mto a licensed area by ja changes. rWn» {r *? machinery clauses pWIuS ,s ? ue of licenses if is carried, the LHX.S: "bother provision that fitt. -SSShL "cwried at the first ffWKSf «f ,icenses to issued 5* i» tiT»T the number of those in 7 PwniL? Bpect,ve districts on the Z* ?** car rie<l. nS 6 , 1 * the Bi » w hich was «e Wl* tnat "regular voting N\i \r °J Wbe rejected as inSladieJt stention5 tention of the voter is

k? I >Utt9 ii n °* a Private tar was 7k the definition now L^S*d£T- bar ttean s any " ftrt l?*^wS?^ 18e8 othe f than a pubSmfcyjjJ*? » Principally or exthe sale, supply, or DP'-? »ntoxic«ting liquw"

R rovisi ° ns in this section relating to the endorsement on licenses of the number of private baW which may be used and requiring the payment of a fee of £lO for each private bar were agreed to.

Accommodation In Hotels. The House accepted the Prime Ministers amendments deleting from the Bill the clauses relating to the provision or a mimmnm amount of accommodation in new hotels, of an adequate hot water service and the right of a licensing committee to impose conditions that repairs ; additions, and a iterations to the premises and furnishings must be made within a specified time.

Several members expressed their concern regarding the accommodation now provided in hotels in country districts, and they appealed to the Prime Minister to keep the clauses in the Bill The Prime Minister explained that it was considered that the matter could well be left to the Licensing Committees, and that as a matter of ordinary fair play directions should not be given to committees.

Mr H. Atmore (Nelson) said there had been a complete turn round by the Prime Minister at the instance of the men who had been infesting the lobbies of the House. Members represented the general public, and should not pay undfue attention to the vested interests on any side. Mr G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) said that in the case of every person who experienced unsatisfactory accommodation at an hotel it meant a vote for Prohibition. He thought the minimum accommodation might bo cut down from 20 rooms for the public to 15.

The Prime Minister said that if the six years' tenure had been carried they might have insisted with some reason on licensees bringing their accommodation up to date. Mr E. P. Lee (Oamaru) pointed out that the clause as to the minimum accommodation applied only to new premises licensed after the passing of the Act.

The Prime Minister said he would) have the accommodation question looked into again, and perhaps he would have the clause reintroduced in an amended form.

Little time was lost in putting through the clauses in the Bill requiring holders of wine licenses to keep order on their premises, making the transfer of wholesale licenses lawful, saving the rights of chemists in no-license areas to dispense liquor, restricting the employment of women in bars, and tightening up the provisions in the principal Act with relation to the unlawful sale of liquor and the supplying of" liquor to persons under the age or twenty-one years withdut the consent of the parent or guardian. The Committee accepted the clauses giving the Courts discretionary power to endorse licenses and easing the present law so that it shall be a good defence if a licensee proves that an offence on his premises was committed without his knowledge, and that he took all reasonably practicable measures to prevent the commission of the offence.

Banquets In Hotels.

The clause which sought to extend tne hours during which liquor might be sold at banquets in hotels to 10 o'clock was briefly discussed. It was suggested in the Bill that the necessary permit should be obtained from the Superintendent of Police or officers in charge of police districts, but the Prime Minister moved an amendment designed to give other responsible police officers so authorised by the Commissioner +he right to issue the permits. This being agreed to, the Prime Minister promised to have a clause added giving the same rights to chartered clubs as will be enjoyed by the hotels in this respect. Mr Lysnar suggested that the privilege should be extended to restaurants. "They already have it," said the Prime Minister. "No, they have not," replied Mr Lysnar. "And I think, too," he added, "that 10 o'clock is too early. I have never been at a banquet in my life that has been over at 10 o'clock. (Laughter.) Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East), deprecating Mr V. H. Potter's opposition to the extension of the hours, said he could not understand any gathering compelled to drink several of the toasts on water and rising to sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" with any degree of enthusiasm. He could not. understand Mr Potter doing that. . . ' Mr Potter: I would not run the risk. (Laughter.) Mr Lee: They would all have rheumatics, i The Prime Minister accepted an amendment moved by Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) giving the privilege of having extended hours for banquets to chartered clubs, which have diningrooms. The House concurring the clause as amended was then passed.

Clause Deleted.

Eeplying to objections raised by Mr Holland with regard to the clause transferring the register of barmaids from the Secretary of Labour to the Commissioner of Police, the Prime Minister said the Labour Department was very anxious to get quit of this responsibility which it was thought the police were quite capable of attending to. It had been said there had been some trafficking in barmaids licenses. " ~ ~ "It is an insult to the barmaids, declared Mr H. G. Armstrong (Christchurch East). . , The Prime Minister: It is not intended as an insult. The police practically do all the work now. Sir Joseph Ward said that registration would be a stigma on every woman who was earning her living as a barmaid. ~ . t „ Mr Coates said he would not waste further time on the matter, and the clause was struck out. A new clause dealing with Restoration was added. It provided that at National Restoration polls, Local restoration polls on bare majority decisions shall also be taken The feet of the clause is that if J. 0 ** 0 ""' Restoration is carried, local districts, by reason of their adverse vote on the local poll, will be allowed to remain dry in any case. Local Restoration wil not come into force unless National Restoration is also carried. Registration of Barmen. The registration of barmen was provided for in another clause which was added to the Bill It was & stipula ed ksT^o^-tt ar^ e ertoS fisVthe certificates of registration orluspend them if the holders should hat date unregistered barmen and their employers will be each liable to a fi "°«T o rt,ink°ihiß is a definite step forthe rnme.inm revolutionary wanted is that decent men.wiM hod the clause providing Stken. thedause' being agreed to vfde that future Restoration polls in a district which voted licenses out shall b? carried by a majority of 6o Pe \lr 7*o Rolleston (Waitomo) "moved ft new clause rfvinp the rfeht to resident, in the King Country to take a

poll as to whether there should _or should not be licenses in that district. He suggested that if licenses were carried they should be for only beer and light wines. Mr McComibs raised the question that as it was a special poll, it would involve additional expenditure, and was therefore an Appropriation clause. The chairman ruled that as the poll would be taken simultaneously with the vote on National Prohibition, there would be no extra expenditure, and therefore no appropriation. Mr McOmbs asked that the ruling of the Speaker be taken on the point. This was done and the ruling was that the taking of the poll would involve expenditure ana that being an appropriation the clause could not be moved.

Other amendments were either withdraw tor lost on the voices, and at 1.35, a.m. the Bill was repoued with amendments. Third Beading. When Mr Speaker resumed the Chair a novel situation arose, the Prime Minister refusing to move the third reading of the Bill he had introduced. This duty was taken up by Mr E. P. Lee (Oamaru), who proceeded to traverse the history of liquor legislation since the special polls of 1917, when State Purchase was the issue. This was the chance for the Trade to be paid out, but they failed to take advantage of this opportunity. The House was still sitting when the telegraph office closed at 2 a.m.