CHARTERED CLUBS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2202, 15 July 1914, Page 4

CHARTERED CLUBS

AND LICENSING LAW

OPPOSED TO REDUCTION

A deputation from the chartered clubs of Now Zealand waited upou the Prima Minister (the llight Hon. W..F. Massey) yesterday, to discuss the proposed Licensing Bill, and the present majority, in contradistinction to the proposed majority. Mr. T. M. Yt'ilford introduced tho deputation, which numbered about thirty members, representative of the forty odd chartered clubs in the Dominion, with a membership of over 20,000 Mr. W. J. Bridson, Wellington, said that they felt that' while th 6 opposing factions were warring over the matter they should make known tho views of tho club men, and lay full stress on their undoubted rights. They represented a large section of that moderate element in the community that was never given any voico in tho various proposals brought forward from time to time by the Prohibition Party and the Trade, and they wished to enter a strong protest against tho manner in which those amendments to the law were carried out, solely botween the brewing interests and the No-Liquor Party. Their deputation was fully representative of tho country, as well as. the city institutions, and embraced delegates from clubs of all degrees, who were strongly combined in the matter, to protest against any further legislative restrictions being placed upon them. They did not sell liquor for the_ purpose of profit, and their revenues derived from that source were used to .carry on ; the social work of their institutions, in many cases as donations to public bodies, benefit and relief funds, and other worthy objects that presented themselves from time to time. Already the freedom of clubs had been considerably curtailed by their being I brought' under the provisions of the Licensing Act, and, although feeling the interference with their privileges, they had accepted the decision without demur, and had loyally abided by tho conditions laid down in tho Act. Would Be Active Enemies. Mr. Fred Earl, of Auckland, said that ho had been asked to represent tho Northern Club and the Auckland Club ; which had a capital involved that could not be far short of £50,000. The committees of those clubs had requested him to protest, in'their names, against any support being given to the proposal to reduce the present three-fifths majority. ' The finances of the clubs had boon! arranged ,in anticipation of a certain fair revenue from the sale of liquor, and thoso anticipations had been consideredwhen members had entered into obligations to a considerable extent. Heavy mortgages Lad been signed by members, in full anticipation of a fair revenue from their respective clubs. If thoso c'ubs were to bo subjected to a, reduced majority, and wero to have their rights to. sell liquor set aside, thoso would bo disordered, and the securities would no longer be as secure as they were. Ha submitted that the clubs had been entitled to assume, so'long as their behaviour was good, that their charter would' continue. It was unfair, he thought,, to bring them under tho provisions of the majority. Mr. Massey: It was done by one vote. I think. Mr. Earle said that it was still more unfair to submit them'to the whim of a less majority. Ho submitted that the Government should pause before listening to any clamour from the Prohibition Party; bofore it lessened the majority as affecting tho clubs. They irere not speaking about .the Trade at all, but .were there only in their own interests. In the past the clubs had any active opposition to tho ,but~lf the - present proposals'were gone on with the Prohibition Party would be creating a new : crop of enemies, who would bo estreraeJy active, and tho result of their action •would probably ho very different .to that which they'.espected/.'. '-I :, Mr. Massey In Reply. Mr. Massey, in reply, said thatfhe was pleased to hear the views of the chartered clubs. He could sympathise with the club's point of view, for he was a member of the two clubs in Auckland, mentioned by Mr. Earl, as well as of others elsewhere. He did not wish • to'elaborate that point of view, as;ho -did so at the time the clubs were dealt with, oight or ten years ago, when the licensing legislation was- before Parliament. So far he had had views placed bofore him by the Prohibition Party, bv the Trado, and by a deputation representing tho Moderates. The Bill was before • Parliament, and would' be gone on with. He oould not say [on what o'ay the second reading would come on, but tho Bill would he proeecde'd with in tho near future, and Parliament would bo given an opportunity of expressing their views thereon. What tho result would be ho could not say. It was not a party Bill, or a policy measure, and there were differences of opinion on the pait of members of the Government. There were members who would be supporting it, and memberß who were pledged to the three-fifths majority, and who would vote against the Bill. That was tho position now. So far as the representations of the deputation were concerned, ho would convey them to Cabinet, and when moving tjie sccond reading of the Bill would place.the deputation's views before Parliament.