LICENSING LAW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 963, 2 November 1910, Page 3

LICENSING LAW.

THE NEW BILL. DECLARATION BY THE ALLIANCE. The executive. of the New Zealand Alliance met on Monday evening to further consider the Licensing Bill in the light of reports from nil parts of tho Dominion. The following declaration was unanimously approved:— _ "After taking a vote of the Consultative Committee, which consists of representative members of tho party throughout the Dominion, together with tile members of the Executive, upon the question of the Licensing Amendment Bill, and as a result of. that vote the executive of the Now Zealand Alliance declares that— l "While adhering to the policy of tho party as settled at successive annual conventions, it approves of tho Bill, with certain amendments and additions to render its provisions more effective. But it stipulates as an essential condition that the method of taking tho vote in the Bill be altered to provide for two separate voting papers, one for the local No-License vote, and one for the vote upon national prohibition; that each voting paper be of a colour distinct from the other, and from tha ballot paper for the general election; and that the vote upon each issue be counted and ascertained separately. "The executive again places upon record the following statement:— "(1) The two issues of local NoLicenso and national prohibition differ widely in principle, the first prohibiting tlie local sale only, and regulating tho importation of liquor into the district; the second prohibiting both importation, manufacture, and sale. "(2) This difference in principle renders it unjust to'tho electors to unite both issues on one voting paper. "(3) The submission of the two issues upon two distinct voting papers is essential to enable the electors to exercise a fair and honest vote, and cannot prejudice any section of the electors. . "(4) The effect of the voting paper included in the Bill will probably be to ' disfranchise a number of the electors, or to force them to record their votes upon one of tho issues contrary to their real desire." _ "That is our last word in the meantime," Mr. A. S. Adams, of Dunedin, told a Dominion reporter yesterday. "Our'views have now been submitted to members of Parliament," he continued, "and our future action must bo determined by the attitude they adopt or by developments that may arise."