PROHIBITION ISSUE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 27, 26 October 1918, Page 3

PROHIBITION ISSUE

THE ALLIANCE PETITION

*' REPLY OF THE GOVERNMENT LEADERS

< (Extanded Eeport Publ

The petition of fdie New Zealand Alliance asking for an 'immediate poll on the question of National Prohibition, with compensation, on the basis of the recommendation of the National Efficiency Board, was presented to the Prime Minister, (Eight lion. W. F. AtassejO and the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward) at Parliament House yesterday morning. Presented by a deputation of about 200 ladies and gentlemen, tho petition was stated to contain some 240,000 signatures. Tho deputation was introduced by Mr. L; M. Isitt, member for Christchuirch East, .and the speakers were the Rev. R. S. Gray, president of the New Zealand Alliance, Mrs. W. Don, president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the Eev. F. A. Bennett, superintendent of the Maori Mission.

; In .introducing the' 'deputation, Mr. ■Isitt said the ladies and gentlomen represented nearly a quarter of a million ot the voters of the Dominion. The utmost care.had been exorcised in safeguarding the genuineness of the petition. Despite all their efforts they were not prepared to say that some informal signatures had not crept in, but they did say that every care that strict organisation could possibly take to preserve, the purity of. the petition had been taken. When it. was realised that at all events 99 per cent, of* the signatures to the petition represented voters of the Dominion, he thought it would be agreed that it was a very big petition indeed. In certain quarters a attempt had been made to represent the Prohibition movement as a political movement. He felt sure that it would be recognised that in no true sense of the. word was it a political movement at all. The very fact that it cut right across party politics was the reason that made it such an awkward and.unworkable quantity so far as ordinary politics were concerned. He just wanted to say that lie felt sure that the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward would recognise that the men and women comprising the deputation and those who were the leaders in the great Prohibition movement were, not actuated by any political ambition or question of selfinterest at all. The time und the money .that; they contributed to the cause, spit to very many of them' real eelf-so orifice, because they were prompted by a genuine desire to increase the moral and economic and physical good of the people of the. Dominion, ana add to its happiness and prosperity.

Mr. Gray's Remarks. "I have the very great honour as president of. the New Zealand Alliance to . present you with the petition to whichMr. Isitt has referred, and which has ken signed by some 240,000 voters of this Dominion," said the Kev. E. S. Gray. I "Thare are other signatures still to come in. I desire, More speaking to you about the reasons why the prayer of this petition should be granted, to thank you very warmly indeed for the very swift courtesy extended to our request to receive this deputation. We know you are both very men, that you are now concerned in great affairs of State, but we are very grateful indeed that you recognise that this question is not foreign to great affairs of State, but has a very intimate relationship to them. We congratulate you very warmly on your safe return to the Dominion—(applause)— and we are very proud that representatives of our own Dominion have had such

a great say, as you have had, in attempting to shape the great after-war policy oi our Empire. We are here first to say, not as ' Prohibitionists, but as patriots, that. from 'the time the war broke out we have individually and collectively so far as we could endeavoured to assist you and the other Ministers in charge of the various Departments affecting the war in carrying out the strong policy of which wc entirely and heartily approve. We are very glad to think that while you have been sitting at tlie table of tho Council of the Empire you have been sitting beside men who, have themselves introduced "this great ques- . tion into the .realms of the politics of great States, and that there is a genoral consensus of opinion amongst statesmen iiow that this question, which was held to be a question supported.only by men of peculiar views, and sometimes fanatical, has come to a stage when the matter must be dealt with by the statesmen of all the countries in the world. Wa desire to request you to.givo this petition yomvyery careful consideration. It is a petition differing in one material Tegaird from any petition we have ever presented before. We have had during the long fight against the drink traffic to approach the heads of Governments asking for legislation. We have endeavoured to persuade them up till now—not with full effect as yet—that the liquor trade was not only the enemy of the individual, but the enemy of tho nation. We are not attempting to persuade you of that to-<lay. We are sure you recognise it. (Applause.) Tha war has proved beyond all doubt that our contention has now been demonstrated. The liquor trade has been proved to be the enemy of the nation. On that ground we ask you, as swiftly as may be, to introduce legislation to banisli the liquor trade from this Dominion in the interests of economic and moral efficiency. (Applause.)

Reasonable Compensation. "The petition requests 'hat you will accede to the request which is .being made, not only by ourselves, but by a very considerable portion of the business men o,f this community, .that you will carry into legislative effect tlie recommendations ot that body set up by yourselves, and tho setting up of which received the warm approval of the whole of the Dominion—the National Efficiency Hoard—which, after it had dealt with this question, recommended that not only for war purposes, but as a permanent measure of national efficiency, the liquor trade siiould be bought out and promptly extinguished, and not be allowed to remain lii this country any more. The New Zealand Alliance, which. represents the great Prohibition sentiment of this country, after the gravest consideration decided to abandon the attitudo it held by resolving to agree to the proposal, for what the National Efficiency hoard stated was the 'payment'of reasonable compensation. We camo to that decision with very great difficulty indeed. It cut a'ight athwart all the things we had called our principles. We don't believe the Trade ought to be compensated; we don't believe that on any moral grounds, or on legal grounds, the Trade has any claim whatever to any compensation. We have not abandoned that attitude Wo have come to the present position because wo have found it to bo impossible to get any legislation which would allow this country to deal immediately with the liquor traffic, and when the Efficiency Board recommended tnis course we camo to agreement with them. ■ The petition asks that we shall have legislation quick, ly, that we shall have legislation upon a simple majority vote—(hear, hear)—that we shall havo immediate Prohibiton, with exemptions for medicinal and scientific purposes. I want to stress specially —for the Trade is trying to make it known that that is not our position— I want to stress this especially, that the Alliance has not abandoned its attitude of demanding that there shall be exemption of wine for sacramental-purposes."

What is Immediate Prohibition? The Prime Minister: What do you mean 'by immediate Prohibition? , Mr. Gray: "We mean es immediate as may be, consistent with legislative requirements. We mean wo don't want the Act passed and the vote given to us and then the time deferred. The present Act provides for a four and a half years' period. We never agreed to that. The present .financial head of the Dominion insisted that four and a half years were necessary in order to put the finances Tight. We think the time has gono for that attitude. The United States, with a revenuo of has out the Trade clpan out. Canada, with a revenuo

ished by Arrangement.)

of £4,000,000, has cut the Trade out immediately, and made no provision for compensation whatever. We mean that as speedily,as the machinery can be provided and the Trade closed down, that you will have it closed down. We want no period- that will give the Trade a chanco of putting its revenue right. As soon as ever we decided to support tho National Efficiency Board's proposals wo made a request to you yourself, sir, and afterwards to Sir James Allen, ActingPrime Minister, that a vote must be provided for the soldiers. (Applause.) We know you are in agreement with this. "The Efficiency Board's report made no recommendation whatever concerning the employees of tho liquor trade,. and proposed that only people who are the owners of if—either brewers, or publicans, or wine and spirit merchantsshould be compensated. Wo, are not very concerned about the brewers. Our concern is that we are very troubled that tho brewers should get anything; we think they deserve least of anybody, and probably there is a good deal of sympathy outside our'own ranks with that view, but we are anxious, and it .is a small matter financially, that tho employees of the Trade should be considered in any compensation which is paid to the Trade. (Hear, hear.) And that some provision should be made for the period of dislocation—we do not think it will bo long—to allow employees of the Trade to get positions in other trades. Then we think an amount should be provided in the estimate of the prico which will allow that to bo done. That is our petition, that is what it requests simply, and that is tho request I prefer to'you to-day in tho namo of tho Alliance. The Trade's Petition.

"You will receive other petitions.' You will receive a petition which I do not hesitate to emphasise as, a 'three-card trick petition/ I do that deliberately. This is the first time the liquor trade has ever presented a petition to Parliament. The first time they are presenting a petition they are presenting a petition which does not permit of an honest vote of the people on this question. We want to call your attention to tho dishonest petition of the Trade—we are not asking something you are unwilling to give. They want a vote on three issues:—State Ownership, National Prohibition, and. National Continuance, > with four and a half years' notioe to the Trade after National Prohibition has been carried. They are asking that each voter shall have one vote only, and that no issue shall be carried unles3 it receives a majority of the total votes, cast. That is really, 'Heads they win, and tails we lose,' absolutely, and 'we are not surprised at that proposition. I will illustrate what it. means. If you take one hundred votes, and fifty people vote for National Prohibition, forty-nine people vote for National Ownership, and ouo person votes for National Continuance, on the proposal of the Trade, National Continuanco will obtain, for no proposal will have received an actual majority, 51, of the total votes cast, and tho present status quo ante will remain, and national continuance .will bo etill in force. That only needs to be stated to honest men, for them to perceive the dishonesty of it. Whatever may be said ito you about our' petition, we are positive you will not grant tho prayer of the liquor petition, because ibis dishonest. It nlso is not what it declares itself to be, an attempt to obtain the decision of the voters of to is country. Tho liquor trade knows perfectly woll, sir, and we.want to assure' you of the fact, that a very considerable- section of the people of this country want immediate Prohibition without any compensation at all. They want the Jour and a half years, cut out. They want the right to say whether .this trade shall continue for another year or not. and whether it shall get any compensation. While this petition of 240,(100. signatures definitely declares for tho Efficiency Board's proposal, we could get a heavier petition than that for immediate Prohibition without any compensation at all. (Applause.) 1 may say, in order to assure you, that this is not platform rhetoric. I am organiser of this movement. I have met the canvassers in every part of this Dominion. The ouo thing I have been up against is this: lots of our people will not sign a petition for compensation. They won t sign it. Tfc.sy may vote for it when they are put up against it, but they will not sign a petition for compensation. I do not hesitate to say, sir, that I could have.presented to you to-day a petition of 300,000 voters if tho issue had been a clear one on immediate Prohibition without any compensation. If we do not meet with success this year we shall come to you again next year, and we shall present you with a petition which will be absolutely overwhelming in its significance and magnitude. The business men have, entered into this strife with the litruor trade—(hear, hear)—and, if the question is not dealt with on the basis suggested by the business men first, and accepted by the Prohibition Party, then we shall demand the .right to vote upon this aspect of the question. Labour Party's Issues. "Tho Labour people will ask that four issues be presented. One of the issues is immediate Prohibition without compensation, and they will ask that the votp be a preferential vote. I suggest to you, sir, that the liquor people are really not the custodians of democracy. .(Laughter.) I do .not know, but I suggest to you that they would like to be. But. they are not the custodians of democracy. They think they are, only they are ignorant. , I think they know tneir proposal is undemocratic. The Labour Party have said, 'We are tho custodians of democracy-(hear,- hear); we have the right to bo so vested, and we ask for four issues, and we ask that every section ot the community that has declared itself shall have the right to express itself, but we shall have the preferential vote in order to got the honest view of the majority.' If we h a{ j tho opportunity of fighting the Trade on tho Lmciency Boards proposal, or upon tho four issues of the Labour Party with preferential voting, we would rather fight on the four issues. (Applause.) There is no way at all of finding the mind of the majority of this country on this or any other question if you put more than two issues to the people, except by a second ballot, or a preferential vote We we strongly aeainst a second ballot. We hope you will not turn your thoughts m the direction of a second ballot. It would be unfair to the country; it would be an additional expense which is not warranted. It would be an additional expense to our party, whicli is not warranted, and an additional expense to tho liquor trade, for which, of course wo would bo profoundly sorry. If it is in your mind, or the minds of your Cabinet or the minds of Parliament, to consider the question of national ownership, we very respectfully demand from yourselves and Parliament that that issue shall not be put upon the paper so long as it remains merely a theoretical question. Nobody knows yet, except a few of us who know what happened at their own council, how much tho Trade propose to ask. I will venture to sar. that they propose ■to ask something in tho region of We shall want to know how much tho country is supposed to pay for national ownership. Will tho business bo run under national ownership for profit, or to promote temperance? (Lnughter.) We ' shall want to know what type of Civil Servant is going to sell liquor .which will promote temperance, and wo shall want to know whether the new Civil Servants will bo selected from the present hotelkeopers and barmaids. All these things wo shall want to know about State ownership before it can go on tho paper. We havo the utmost confidence in your determination to treat this thing absolutely fairly. You havo been in America, you have conns through Canada, you havo talked with great representative men of our sister Dominion, Canada, which has stood

shoulder to shoulder with our own Dominion in the magnificent fight for freedom and democracy, and we feci sure you are going to face the question in a statesmanlike way, and that in this final fight the people will have an absolutely fair chanco to express their mind. Wo do not ask for anything more. We want the people to have a fair chance of saying what they want in this crisis of l.ho Empire. For the considerations I have mentioned we respectfully and earnestly ask that you will grant the prayer o? this petition. Imuortation of Whisky.

"Thero is one other tiling I desire to mention, and that is in regard to the importation of whisky into this counzry just now. It is common knowledge, aiid it is within the knowledge of the heads of your own Departments, that a very considerable quantity of whisky has been introduced into this country during the last two or "three years. Will you cause to be made an inquiry as to whether the , which recently came into the harbour, did carry a cargo of about 50,000 cases, or casks, of whisky? Whether that cargo was broached during the passage; whether some of the firemen and some of the crew were so drunk as a consequence of rivets having been broken and a passage Living been found to the whisky that tho ship was delayed on her passage for two or three days. She was delayed by influenza early in the passage. We are anxious to know if she was further delayed owing to the condition of the crew, and whether it is true that some of the passenger? had to give a hand to stoke the ship. We also want to know.whether legitimate goods were kept out of the ship on the other side. We also want to know whether the answer given by Sir James Allen that they could not be accepted is final. The answer he made was that the slaps which bring our men back are not now on our charter. They were owned by .the English Government and you pay so much per' head for transport tack to this country. That seemed to S.a' James Allen to settle ,tho question. We respectfully say to you that you should say: 'We will not have whisky brought into this country at the present time.' It is a non-essen-tial. There are essential goods •. being kopt out of this country. We, however, earnestly hope you will take that; view. We alsi) proposo to have asked for in Parliament a return of the total amount of whisky that has been brought into the country 'during the war period, and the amount that is now in bonded store. We have heard that returning soldiers were court-martialled because they would not consent to act as guard over the liquor. We want to discover whether that is so, and whether the captain of another ship, whose name I will not mention, on a recent trip brought whisky out, and said on arrival here: 'I am prepared to risk my life in snbmarme-m----fested waters to "bring back men who have risked their lives on the battlefield, but I am not prepared to risk my life to bring whisky into this country.' W r e want to know whether on tho succeeding trip of that sanie ship there was another captain on board. This man had absolutely declined to bring another cargo out." Women's Point of View.

' Mrs. W. D. Don, president of the Women's Christian Vemperance Union, said that tho gigantic tragedy of war had caused "all classes and all nations to see what tho drink traffic really was, and what it really did. What Tcmperanco people had long and truly taught the war had publicly demonstrated. It had demonstrated that alcohol was evil, evil continually, and that man could not be at his best in body, brain, or soul with alcohol. Epoch-making experiments by world-famous scientists had proved that alcohol disqualified humanity from the cradle to tho grave, and there was no section of the community that understood this truth better than tho women. In carrying tho petition from house to house throughout the Dominion the Temperance canvassers had ■ met tho people face to face. They had mot mothers who had given their sons—sons-who now were sleeping on the slopes of Gallipoli or in tho cemeteries of Prance. Thoy had met women who had eons now in the danger zone or preparing to .go. They had met women whose sons had returned mutilated; they had entered homes whore there would bo no more sons in the. present generation. Yet for these things women had mado no moan. Tho only cry they did make w.as that it was hard to find boys who had gone away total abstainers returning with the desire for liquor. The boys had acquired the drink habit whilo they • weroaway. This was a time when the Dominion should be protecting and conserving its manhood, but as a matter of fact what was happening? During four years of war there had been about 10,000 convictions for drunkenness m New Zealand. If there had been that number of actual convictions, was it possible ever to find out, was it ever possible ever to imagine, how many New Zealauders had been drunk and "incapable through alcohol? Was it wise to leave the drink trado free to destroy tho manhood that was left to tho Dominion? When it became known that she was to speak for the women of Now Zealand at the deputation to tho Ministers that dav, women everywhere had urged her to tell the Ministers what an enemy alcohol was to the manhood of the race. She need not press the point, for tho Ministers themselves knew of tho evil that the .traffio wrought in the community. They knew how it destroyed man-power, how it produced' poverty and nearly all the crime. Most of the - disease 'that the women of New Zealand were trying to combat was the outcome of the use of • alcohol. She beliejed that a very large majority of the women of New Zealand had signed the petition, and she appealed to tho Government to givo them the right to say at the ballot box whether alcohol should continue to do its work in tho Dominion. (Applause.) She had just one other word to say in conclusion. She cordially endorsed what the previous speaker had said with reference to compensation. The proposal to pay compensation to the liquor trade had been a very bitter pill for the women to swallow. They had considered the matter long and earnestly, and thev' had asked themselves why thoy should pay compensation to a trade that had never done anything but wrong in its life. The ».-omen had strongly objected to tho payment of compensation, but so fully did they realise tho menace that aicohol was to the life of the nation that they were prepared to accept the proposal now made. They asked the Government and Parliament to give them the power to get Prohibition with compensation on condition that it came into effect immedifioly, without the delay of four and a half years, provided for in the present law. "I believe that you yourselves know the evil of this trade," added Mrs. Don, "and know what a menace i t has been to the general efficiency of tho nation. I believe you know that we need population, and that we need a pure, strong manhood. In the ]i»ht of these things, wo feel assured at this hour that you will listen to our prayer and grant our request, and give. us'the power to vote this trade out of the Dominion." (Applause.) '

The Maori. The Eev t P. A. Bennett, superintendent of tho Maori Mission, read in Maori a brief prayer for protection from tho evils of the liquor tradß. He said that ho did not know if tlie Ministers understood Maori, but whatever the effect of the sentences upon them, he hoped they would understand that they had listened to tho cry of a people, who, in this matter of' the drink traffic, were as children at tho feet of the Government of New Zealand. Tho Maoris had no voice in this matter. They had no means of expressing themselves, but they had heard that thoir pakoha brothers wore working on the (petition presented to the Government that day, mid they hau come forward to sign tlio petition themselves for tho suppression of tho traffic by vote of tho people. Tho Maoris' petition had 4146 signatures. The. Maoris asked that in dealing, with this question tho Government should take into consideration the present welfare of the Maori peopleThoy were absolutely at the mercy of tho Government'in connection with this traffic. They hud realised how much evil had been done to them. AVhile tho heads of the Government, wore absent in England a most diabolicnl thin? had been done in connection with n license in the Whnkntnne district, where risrlit on flic fringe of the Urcwera country the Trade had practically forced upon the people, against their expressed wishes, a licensed house. (Cries of "Shame.") Tho Maoris themselves asked that tho liconse should not bo granted; the Bishop of W&ia,p u and almost every porson of

consequence in the district asked that a licensed house should not be opened on the border of the Native country. But in spite of all these representations, bbfore the licensing Cumiuitr.ee had granted the license, a vessel arrived at the wharf at Whakaiane bringing the liquor for this house. "I have received letters from some or our Maori boys at tho front," said Mr. Bennett. "One of the lads wroto recently, saying that he had never touched liquor at home; but since going to the front, he had had his rum ration. He tells me that I would be surprised to hear what a large DMivher of the young fellows who never tastted drink before, have now a liking for .it. The Maoris stand before you as children in this matter. If the question of granting the plea of the petition is in tho balance, I hope that the cry of the Maoris will turn the balance iiuour favour. You have taken up paternal duties as a Government, and rightly so. You have directed that whenever our soldiers arrive at a New Zenland port from the front the hotels shall.bo closed, because of the dangerous effect of alcohol on some of our boys who have not got enough moral lxickbono to withstand temptation. That is exactly tho principle I hope that you will apply in connection with -.the Maori people. We want you to protect them. They look to youi as-a father, and they stand before you helpless as children. I hope you will deal with them as though you were indeed their father and were anxious to help them in making the most of their lives. I hope and pray you will understand that this Maori petition, although only a fmall petition, represents the voice of a dying race. The Maoris raise their voice in favour of the appeal that is ihoing made to you this morning."

/MR. MASSEY'S REPLY. LEGISLATION AND A "STRAIGHT BUN." The Prime Minister said that he and the other Ministers present had been very pleased to receive the deputation and hear the views put forward by the speakers. "I say at once," said Mr. M'ussey,, "that we recognise (heir public epiritedness. They have said what they meant and meant what they said, and we know you are. supporting them in the opinions they have expressed. We hope that good will result from the movement which has been initiated and has been in progress throughout this country for some little time past. (Applause.) Regarding the question at issue, I dare say your leaders will remember that some time ago we were approached by them, and both Sir Joseph Ward and myself took an opportunity later en to stato our position in the House of Representatives. ■ I cannot recollect the exact words usad by my colleague or myself. But I know I said the time was coming, and coming at no distant date—and I was referring to the business session of the present year—when something would have to be-done to deal with the liquor traffic satisfactorily and finally from tho point of view of the public of this country. I do not go back on that in the very slightest. I am of the same opinion still that I was then, and let me say at onco that I am out for reform where reform is shown to be desirable. As far as the position in which I happen to be placed as head of the Government is concerned, I know that a number of petitions are being presented, or arc to be presented. Your very numerously signed petition has been presented, and I receive it on behalf of tho Government. I have also been informed that other petitions are coming from other sections of tho community. .There is a petition from the section known as Labour and another petition from those we are in the habit of calling the.Trade. I have no doubt that these petitions will bo numerously signed. It is impossiblo at tho present time to deal with the details of these petitions or even with tho detnils of the petition you have presented to-day. That cannot be dono until all the petitions havo been dealt with by the Government. All the petitions will go to Cabinet and the different proposals will 1m fully and thoroughly and I believe satisfactorily, considered by Cabinet; and then, so far as I am able to judge, legislation will follow. Do not imagine for one moment that there is any intention or desire to postpone this legislation. (Applause.) It has been suggested that legislation should follow at the earliest possible date." We have some preliminary work to do, which must bo dono. by Parliament. The Address-in-Reply'will bo considered, possibly, for some days-pos-sibly for some weeks, though I hope not. I am not going to interfere with the discussion or limit its length. As soon as other and perhaps more urgent business has been dealt with by Cabinet and 'Parliament, then in my judgment legislation on your proposals will follow. I do not think I can put my position more clearly. I promise, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, that you will have a straight run in connection with your proposals. (Applause.) I cannot give you a definite idea of what the details of thelegislation will be when Cabinet has dealt with it. It is quito impossible for mo to do that. I appreciate the fact that there has been very little verbal rhetoric in the speeches your representatives have made this morning. Your proposals have been put forward consisely and clearly, and I appreciate that. Lot me say—and lam going to use a phrase that was used by one of your speakers—that you:have appealed to the custodians of democracy in this country, and you are not going to be disappointed. Mr. Gray referred to the cargo that was carried by a certain steamship on its present trip. I have not heard of it before. This is the first time any representation has been made to me regarding what took place on the vessol, I know the captain of the. vessel and havo every confidence in him doing the. right thing. I think the proper thing to do will be to get some member to move in the Houso for a return showing the particulars required. Let me say, on behalf of the Government, that if tho return is asked for in the ordinary way it will be laid beforo Parliament in due course as soon as the particulars can/be obtained. Ido not know that I have anything further to say. I can only say that we realise the importance of your proposals; we realise their seriousness, and both from Cabinet and from Parliament they will receive the consideration they undoubtedly deserve."

A delegate: What about the Maoris? Mr. Massey: We look upon the Maoris from tho. point of view of the law, of Parliament, and of the Government, as equal in every respect to tho European people of this country. They will be treated in the same way. (Applause.)

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S VIEWS. THE COMPENSATION ISSUE. , "Regarding this important petition which you have placed in the hands of the Prime Minister for presentation to Cabinet and for consideration there, I want to say that, to my mind,- it is quite clear at present that full and proper consideration of this important matter cannot be deferred," said Sir Joseph Ward. "I want to make it quite clear. I have listened to the remarks of the speakers upon the question of compensation to the Trade with a very great deal of interest, and I want to say as a public man that, in my opinion, the suggested provision for compensation to the Trade has to a very largo extent—l am speaking unreservedly—altered the position, as I havo viewed the* conflict and tho contest that lias been iroing on in connection with this matter for so many years. As I understand it. conflicting interests have subordinated their views in order to allow compensation to be paid to the Trade. Many of the present generation in the Trade woro not responsible for its establishment in this country. Many of them have taken very large"Tespoiisibilities upon (heir shoulders, financially.and otherwise, and T say that this compensation, as suggested by the Efficiency Board, does clear the road for public men to have a clear and emphatic issue by the people upon this important point. (Hear, hear.) In reviewing tho issues that. Cabinet will require to deal with in connection with this matter, upon tho representations of (he different sections who are petitioning, consideration will have to be given to tho verv important development that has taken place in the last two years, which, to my mind, makes the road easier to tho public mind, and certainly alters tho position from the point of view as to whether this trade shall continue in tho country or not. ' I can certainly say that I will glvo the representations 1 !

mado my fullest consideration when they coino before Cabinet."

Mr, Massey. The soldiers on the other side, as citizens, must—and will—lie given an opportunity to vote. (Hear, hear.). The proceedings closed with the singing of the National Anthem.