STALEMATE ON MASTERTON LIQUOR CONTROL

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1947, Page 3

STALEMATE ON MASTERTON LIQUOR CONTROL

MA8TERTOX, June 9. A stalemate was reached at a conference in Masterton toniglit attended b} 41 delegates representing every town and country organisation in tlie district and couvened by the Mayor, Mr. W. Keinp, for the consideration of representations to the Minister of Justice on matters arising out of the carrying of trust control of the sale of liquor in Masterton. The delegates agreed tliey had 110 mandate from their org^nisations and could not reach decisions. After several points had been discussed the delegates were assured by the Mayor that when the Crown law offi.ee 's draft of the ijroposed legislation for the Masterton trust was reeeived, they would be asked for their approval or for aniendinents, and local body reprosentatives would bear in mind such recominendations when a meeting was held with Mr. Mason on June 19. No decisions were reached and the points on whicli only an infornial discussion took place included the proposed constitution of the trust. Some delegates wanted six and others nine or ten. In the financing of the trust some favoured Government money and some the issue of interest bearing dcbeutures. Regarding the date of the election, some wanted it separated from the local body elections in November and others opposed that course. No ftnality was reached regarding provision for a licensing committee in addition to the trust although there was a measure of support for the Licensing Commission's recommendation that a New Zealand-wide authority should be set up to distribute licences. Women delegates insisted on their right of representatiou on the' trust. The payment of trus'tees was also discussed by the meeting. The point of hotels being permitted in the suburbs was raised and objection was raised to any suggestion of that course. Delegates paid a good deal cf atfc&o?

tion to the matter of providing accommodation as quickly as possible and it was regarded generally as a pressing . need. An interesting feature of the meeting was the appearance of delegates pf a new organisation named Alcoholic Licjuors Advisory Organisation who elaimed that their organisation would eventually become Dominion-wide. The 'Mayor quoted the Minister of Justice as saying that liquor would not be on sale in Masterton before Xmas. Final flgures for the licensing polls in the former Masterton no-licence district regarding the form restoration would take, are announced as follows: — Masterton: For trust 3512, against trust 2763; majority for trust 749. Eketahuna: For trust 427; againsi 634; majority against trust 207. Akitio,: For trust 96; against 212; majority against trust 116,