LICENSING QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 282, 17 August 1918, Page 8

LICENSING QUESTION

PETITION FOR A NEW BALLOT PAPER FROM NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LICENSED TRADE At a mooting of the National Council of Now Zealand (which is representative of all branches of the licensed trade) the statements of the E-t. Hon. the Prime. "Minister (Mr. Massey) and the. Kt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Minister of Finance) to the elfect that a proper solution of the licensing question would have to be found, were considered; and in view of the, demands of the extremists on the ono hand for "immediate Prohibition with reasonable compensation to the parties affected" (which is the expression of the Efficiency Board), and of the demands of the Moderate League and the Labour Party on tho other hand for national ownership snd control of tho licensed trade, the National Council de-, cided :—

(I) While deprecating any division of me electors of this Dominion in tho cnljefll stages of the great war, on such a controversial question as the continuance or extinction of the licensed trade realising that we have already been called upon to make great communal and individual sacrifices, and while desiring in the general welfare that this issue should be left alone till after the war we consider that in view of the demands referred to, .some reasonable basis of solution of tho question should bo discovered for submission to the electors at the next general election.

(2) Viewing these considerations, it is patent that tho present ballot paper does not afford opportunities for the expression of that public opinion which has grown up around the , licensing question. Those who favour continuance (being in a majority of 10,235 at the last election) are presumably satisfied with the existing system of licensing; those, favouring NoLicense may or may not be Prohibitionists, but may be merely dissatisfied with the present methods, either as regards licensin.'T as a system, or in regard to private ownership; and among those who voto for Prohibition there are many who, although not tolal abstainers themselves, yet desiro a change in (lie present system: . Therefore, the National Council resolves:—

(a) That a fair, just, and reasonable solution of the question cannot be obtained until the present ballot papers have been revised, so as to remove existing disabilities, and all electors have been given an opportunity to record a logical and consistent vote. (b) With that object in view, Hie National Council of New Zealand approves 01, and pledges its support to, a petition to I arliamenl, praying for the repeal of the existing ballot papers (which are n ii anomaly), and to replace them bv a single . ballot paper providing for "the lollowing issues:—"National Continu- •""*•' ''. Nnt , i , ()lia A Ownership/ , "National 1 rolubition. One vote only to be exercised by each voter; „ bare majority of ilia total votes recorded to decide the is-

Mie national Council has drawn up a petition to Parliament embodying these points, whiuh it is asking the public to sign, with rho view lo finding a proper so.ution of the licensing question at tho next general election. '