LIQUOR IN THE KING COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2205, 18 July 1914, Page 6

LIQUOR IN THE KING COUNTRY

• MUNICIPAL CONTROL SUQ. GESTED. : Municipal control of liquor in tho boroughs and townships in the King Country was advocated by a deputation which waited upon the Prime Minister (tho; Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey), and asked for an amendment to, or the'annulment of, the Proclamation regarding the sale of liquor in the King" The deputation, which was mtßoduced by Mr. 'C. K. Wilson; member for Tau-. mariinui, was represented by Messrs.. J. Oimsby (Otorohanga), E. Martin (Tβ Kuiti), J, L. Short (Taumarunui), and A. H. Wilkie (Ohakune). Mr. Martin said that, in view of the Licensing jJiil .that was being brought in, they desired to ask for some alteration, of the existing "conditions prohibiting the sale of liquor in the King Country- • . /■• .-..;■ ■ Mr. Massey: Well, gentlemen, I am willing to hear suggestions, but . not speeches. What do you want? Mr. Martin: Ail amendment of tho Proclamation. . Mr. Massoy: I wanted you to make a definite suggestion.' . Mr. Martin: The iniquitous conditions of the Proclamation are totally unwarranted by the cuange of circumstances iii the King Country. You can say that we shall have the .right to vote.for the supply of liquor in the King Country. ■ Mr. Massey: You want to vote for License or No-License,- in the same way as other districts. • ■ ..• 'Mr. Martin: \Ve have a right now. Mr. Massey: You want the same conditions as , other electorates. Take the tasueia No-License electorate,' Eden, for instance. If they want to get back license, they have to find a three-fifths majority in favour of. license. Is that iho position you want to bo placed in? ■Mr. Mai-tin: We are quite satisfied with that.' But if we do carry it, we want to get the licenses. \ Mr. Massey: ■ That point would require legislation. '".''-.. _, . Mr. Martin: We say that, ;in view of the circumstances in the district, you could hnv.e municipal control. •Wβ want the whole thing dependent upon the right of tho people. At the present time our vote is ineffective. Wo are not directly opposed to' the Prohibition or any other party. If a majority of the people vote that we shall have liquor, then let us have it by municipal control. Mr. Massey: Suppose the municipalities refuse liquor control ? Mr. Ormsby: We feel sure that all the'local bodies with which we are connected are in favour of the municipal control. ', . , Mr. Massoy: You know you aie asking for a tremendous alteration of tho policy of the State, and I am not' pre-' pared to commit the Government to it. It is the admission of municipal control to the liquor traffic. Mr. Wilkie: It has always been found extremely payable. i Mr. Massey: Oh, I am quite convinced of that. ■ ; " ' / ■ Mr. Wilkie: To us the position seems to be either open hotels or ely-grog shops. ' Mr. Martin: Can you hold out any hope, of the annulment of the, proclamation? ..'-■' Mr. Masaey: I cannot commit myself to that.' . ■ . .Mr. Martin: You can -vary the pro- , clamation to exclude townsnips and boroughs. Mr. Massey: I would be inclined to go to the extent of prohibiting the whole {Native race if the licenses .were granted in the King country. Mr..Ormsby, speaking as a member of the Native race, said that his own experience amongst tho race was that there was as much abuse amongst the Natives ,-in the licensed'areas as the prohibited area. . ' • . ■ Mr. Massey: I have reason to believe the , position in the King Country is very bad. ■ I do not think anything can '.be worse, and people tell me it is impossible to get convictions. Slygrog selling has almost been reduced to a science. Hβ added that he would place the matter" before the Government. ..As far as the Bill was concerned it would go to the second reading ps it was. Private members could then move an amendment.