THE LICENSING BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 688, 13 December 1909, Page 3

THE LICENSING BILL.

) Sir,—The report, of the L.V.A. meeting in Wellington makes interesting reading. ■ The members of that, , body were having the time of their lives, and-a little extra steam' by' way of indignation was quito excusable. The statement in their resolution published this morning, that, when tho Dominion No-License Convention decided to reject'the Voting paper, h'drnft Bill had been agreed to by the solicitors of both parties, is not correct. But what is tho crux of the vrholo matter after all? , : On every point but oneVthe Dominion Convention, agreed to the proposed terms. The exception. taken; was simply this, that on consideration it was found that the form of voting paper proposed practically disfranchised all those electors who desire to vote for N6Licenso as at present, but who'are opposed to tho drastic provisions agreed upon for Dominion Prohibition. In other words, it dis-. franchised the -whole "moderate" section of tho community. Under that voting paper, all those electors, must either ■ • . ' ■'. ' (a) Kef rain from voting', . (b) Yoto for the maintenance of the Trade . / ; :-/ which' they-are,opposed to, or ■ (c) Vote for both local No-License on pre- ;' : . sent lines. .' -.. ~ •. ' ~; ■ The Dominion Convention' realised that this was a matter clearly beyond the rights of either, party. To attempt to deprive a large body of voters of their franchise, or compel them to exercise it at peril of assisting an essentially different principle, would bo unjustifiable.. It was thought, that even the Trade' representatives would admit the force of this, and assist in devising another method of voting. ."In-any case,.it-was impossible for the convention to countenance so .flagrant -a violation of electoral right. Aud now,.what, is the attitude of the Trade? It will surely surprise all lovers of fair play to learn that, while its representatives do not attempt to show that the abovo is not the direct . effect of the proposed voting - paper, they insist upon its adoption, and describe it, in the-words of their chairman, as. "their last sheet-anchor." ■ . ; . -r . " ■■■■■■. That the' Trade representatives clearly realise tho effect: of the paper is shown by tho following extracts from speeches at their meeting:— ~-,.;•' ■': ■: ■■ /. ■ ."The Trade has, however; recognised that, besides themselves and the Prohibition party, there was another section of the community whose interests had to be protected—namely, the great Moderate party."—Mr.' Leo.. Myers. : ,"Tho : main underlying principlo embodied in the agreement—that, every vote for local NoLicense would thereby be -cist for* national Prohibition."—Mr. Mvers. •..■.-' ;. ..'..=-. ."They (the Trade)'l>ad "not been apprehensive of tho effect of-the reduced majority on .national"' prohibition, -but! on . local-no-liccnse, their (the Trade's) safeguard waft that immense numbers of moderate people voted 1 No-Licensd qnly because they knew that they could have whisky in their, own houses; The .represents tives of tho Trade regarded the combination of 'Dominion Prohibition with, the raduced majority a's\ their v "last sheet anchor."—Mr. Konnedy, chairman.. .■'..' .: ■■'.•■. , . i-Mr'. C. C. Louisson, M.L.C., said "the alteration suggested came to the very foundation of .the agreement." '.'-... ~■ . ' "■■■■"' ■What, then, do these extracts mean? Surely they mean nothing, less 'than that the Trade in insisting upon this voting paper, is demanding that "the Moderate, party shall be disfranchised as a condition of. the first importance in any proposals for reform legisla--tion," ■•'■ ■ -.- ■' ■' ■... : ■/. ■ -.'.■ ... ;■■ ...• '..- : And this is claimed because of the assumed rigidity of the agreement. It is , the bond, the whole bond, and. nothing but the bond. Mr. .Myers states that Dr. Findlay "stretched the construction of the agreoment against the Trade on several' points." That is a most unjust reflection upon tho Attorney-General. But,.says v Mr. Myers, Mr. Skertett,. on behalf of the Trade," formally protested, but in spite of this, the Trade "loyally carried out the spirit of. the'agreement." If all is correct; '; the ..' "spin t of tho agreement" is primarily to deprive -the Moderate party'of its rights. But Mr \Myers does: not. tell .everything. Itis afact that counsel for the Trade was so far from.thinking.that.the liberal terms of the memorandum were binding, that ho himself, asked' for several alterations, of primo .importance. For instance, he asked that under national 'prohibition the/mere possession of liquor, should Ibe a crime punishable by tine up to'.£so:for first offence and.three months' imprisonment,.for secoijdjfofFenc.o! .'."This js even moroj.than. the"infamous..Clause, Mr. Skerrett also asked .that if national prohibition were carried, a restoration vote should bo taken at,tho.first election after. t\v'6 i years from .its taking effect;' although the , memorandum prodded that. ho such vote; should lbe\ taken for , three-years. These two instances "will suffice 'to. show, that;the' Trade';did' not regard the literal terms 'of- tho ; memorandum as r.igidly binding on them'! Why. should they now attempt to : force tho position .upon us ? . ';•'".■. I think the above : explanation supplies the answer, to/that." /'The Trade now definitely clniras that .the Moderate olectors bo disfranchised as, the price of concessions (!) by theiv august body. And Mr: Leo. Myers, says: The Trade recognises that tho interests'of. the great .Moderate party should be protected. Wp propose to protect, or at least I'not. to be parties to' tho violation of theso rights..''.., '•,-. '.Now,-, the -.electors are not concerned about the two parties, to the arrangement so much as they are concerned with the disregard of their own interests. ,We say'that. neither party, nor the Prime Minister; Government and Parliament, combined .would, be : justified--in , --,forcing 'such a paper upon them. Wo have asked for two separate papore dealing with the /two issues,.of local option ,'ahd Dominion Prohibition. :• The Trade must find some: better ground "upon -which, to base'its: objection to this, than rthefact that to combine the two under, the proposed, conditions. is "their 'last sheet anchor."—l am; etc., '".■.■■• > i>.. .••'.- ~ .... . .-..,. ■ A. S. ADAMS. ■'•- Duncdin, December 9. " ....