BREACH OF FAITH, OR NOT?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 685, 9 December 1909, Page 8

BREACH OF FAITH, OR NOT?

NO-iICENSE V, TRADE; .- ; LIQUOR APPEALS TO THE PRIME . .MINISTER. The full text of the resolutions adopted by the conference of the Licensed Liquor Trade of New Zealand,' and briefly outlined in yesterday's Dominion, was made known yosterday. Tho resolutions, which were, moved by tto Hon. C. Louisson, M.L.C., and seconded by Mr. Walter Johnston; wero : -as follow: — : (1) That this meeting of delegates from the brewers, wine and spirit merchants, and licensed victuallers of New Zealand views with surprise and indignation the action of the NoLicense party in deliberately repudiating an agreement outered into between their official representatives and the representatives of. tho Trade for the amendment of the licensing laws, and emphasises the fact that, at the date of the meeting of the conference of the NoLicon6e delegates at Wellington,,at which such repudiation was decided on, the abovementioned agreement had already been signed by the official representatives of both parties, and,the draft of tho proposed Bill embodying the agreement had been agreed to 'by the solicitors of both parties,-' through the final arbitrament of the Hon. Dr. Findlay, and the suggestion coming from the • No-License Conference that an'alteration should bo : made in the terms of the agreement, came too late, and was simply a, weak attempt, to 'justify a-most ignominious repudiation of a written agreement. (2) That this meeting, and the Trade of the Dominion, will. oppose by every : proper and legitimate means in their power any attempt to-depart from the "three-fifths majority for either 'local No-License" or "Dominion prohibition," except on the express condition that the principle of "one elector one vote" shall be introduced, two issues only to be on the voting paper, viz. :— 1. Local Continuance. "" *• '-"•'.■ ' 2.,L0cal No-License and Dominion Prohibition. , ■ . ' '. And-that the time limit "in case of .local NoLicense beinE carried be not less than two years from the date of the poll, and in the ease of Dominion prohibition being carried, be not less than five years from the dato of the • (3) That this meeting is of opinion that the Right Hon. the Prime Minister should, in tho interests and- the welfare of the public and the Dominion, introduce and pass into law, as outlined in his Financial Statement, such legis-. lation 03 will clirry ont the agreement entered into on November 6 last between the representatives of the New Zealand Alliance and-the Trade, and that a copy of this resolution bo forwarded to him with a vespectiul request to give tho same effect. * : -.'••'■ "

VIEWS OF MR. A, R. ATKINSON. '. NO BREACH 01? FAITH. ■'.. i Mr. A. R. Atkinson, when seen by a Dominion reporter yesterday, made.some interesting observations on the proceedings of the frado conference. It will be remembered that Mr. Atkinson did not take part, iin the negotiations which led to the recent* agreement as to proposed licensing legislation, but he was amember of the convention of the Now; Zealand Alliance, which, declined to ratify the clause providing for local No-License and .Dominion prohibition being treated as one issue. :' "The Indignant virtue of the Trade, as dis. played at their conference," said Mr. Atkinson, "is very becoming, but it is hardly convincing. It is now conceded that the condition which involved the confusion of two totally distinct issues was, and is regarded by the Trade as 'the kernel of the whole matter — such was the phrase used at the Trade Conference. In other words the Trade deliberately relied upon the confusion or disfranchisement of a large section of the electors; in order to save themselves from the defeat which appears inevitable so long as the issues remain clear, logical, .and distinct. The NoLicense party stands exactly where it-has always stood, with regard- to the issues both of local option !and Dominion', option, but realises now, as clearly as the Trade realised at the time of the la,t© negotiations, what would havo been the effect of merging the two. Tho Trade may be entitled to some sympathy for the loss of what was regarded as an excellent deal, but, seeing that its excellence from I their point of -view was based' upon what was essentially an unprincipled proceeding—that is to say, tho confusion ,or disfranchisement of the voters, as already mentioned—! for one do not feel disposed'to waste much'sympathy upon them. -■■'■ • . ' ■'. ■■■■~.* ' •■ "The suggestion.that there was any lack ofgood, faith on the part of. the Temperance party or any of its members is really too contemptible to merit serious .notice.' The, position simply is that somoof.the leaders of tho party, backed by ,the executive of the. New Zealand Alliance, entered into an '■ arrango- [ ment which they conscientiously believed to be both a, good one and one that was likely to commandthe,support of the party.' Airepresentative convention of the party, called tor the purpose, having : come to an opposite decision, the compromise came to an end. That TeaUyis. the whole history of the matter.. Nobody has been 'had'A' Nobody 'has' been misled. But those' who ■ hoped to profit by the confusion of the issues will loso their prospective, profit,: and I don't begrudge- them a little squeaking while the sense of. loss is fresh." ,: ;

• REV. E. WALKER'S OPINION. . ' (By Tdecraph—Press Association.) „ . ' ■ ' , ■ Christchurch, Beccmber 8. The RovV E.. Walker, who arrived in Christchurch this evening,, thinks that the' NoLicense Convention's endorsement of a part of the compromise made .by the leaders is not. a fair expression of opinion of the No-License party generally.. "I judge this," ho said to an interviewer, "from the spontaneous expressionsto the'contrary of all sorts of tho rank and file, people, and especially business 'men, not prominently appearing in' the movement,, whom I hare met recently-in-travelling. ( .. . "Besides,- I think that the convention was callod under restrictrre conditions, which prevented it being such an. expression, and that notwithstanding this, if it' had been summoned before instead of, after the leaders,had publicly committed the party, the. compromise would never have been heard of. The. determination of the convention not to agree ; to: the proposed method of voting has wrecked the compromise. I think there will be a general sense of. relief; but in.view of an'inevitable alteration of the law, I shall be.surprised if,the Trade does not surrender on that point. in order to -, avert legislation which would give fuller expression to the rights of the electors." Mr.-Walker thinks that the No-License movement has been temporarily weakened, the psychological moment for a splendid advance all along the line having been missed. Ho thinks the party should revert at once to the platform of the recent popular demonstrations in tho four centres and prosecute a vigorous campaign, throwing all its energy into tho noxt Parliamentary elections. - :