BEER AS AN ELECTION ISSUE ON WEST COAST

Chronicle (Levin), 31 October 1947, Page 5

BEER AS AN ELECTION ISSUE ON WEST COAST

GEETSfOOTH, Oct. 29. There is no doubt that the beei- boycott issue will beconie a liveiy topie in the VVestland by-electiou campaign Of three questions asked of three iio.ii inees for candidature for the Nation.n Party .at the linai selection meeting t\. # concerned the boyeott. Asked for his views, Mr. G. Gillespie, an unsuccessful candidate, said that a-^ far as he coiild see it was beyond the control of any union or organisation to dictate to a man what he shouid do outside the rules of the union ticket he held. Mr. Martin Neston, also unsuccessful, said: "It does seem to be that tlie campaign is' taking an entirely wrong angle. Bomeone shouid point .to the re&l nigger in the wood pile. Inquiries which 1 have made show that of tlie sevenpence threepence goes to the hotelkebper, a penny to the brewer, aml threepence to Walter Nash. I thinK they shouid have a shot at chiseliing olf some of Walter 's portion, and 1 am inclined to think that is whefe atten tion shouid be focussed. " Thxation on beer Went up trGmen dously for War pufposes, he added. As far as the boyeott was concerned, he said, he was inclined to think thai there was room for some argument. Workers on tlie West Coast had had the 10s a week rise, and the workers in hotels were entitled to it. If the hotelkeeper could not make a do of it, it was up to those responsible to caneel the boyeott. The third candidate, Mr. J. F. Loek ington, whb was successsful and will represent the National Party in the by-election, will probably be asked the question many times in the course oi his electioneering campaign, while there is no doubt that the Labour candidate will have it flred at hira fnani many angles at questjon time.