SOLDIER VOTERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 79, 28 December 1918, Page 6

SOLDIER VOTERS

AND THE LIQUOR ISSUE. The need for letting the soldier 'voters who have been far from here while tho campaign has been going on regarding tho liquor question know exactly what the issues aro on which they are being asked to record votes was brought under the notice of the Minister of Defenco on Saturday by the president of tho Ee-tm-ned Soldiers' Association and the president of tho Moderate League. They urged that the soldiers ought to be supplied with sufficient information to allow them to vote intelligently on tho questions submitted. :

Sir James Allen lias sent to the president of the Returned Soldiers' Association a copy of a statement of the proposals to be submitted at the epecial licensing poll which hus been cabled to London by the Government. "Tho High Commissioner," says Sir James, ' "has been directed to print 50,000 copies of tile statement in London, and every electoral ollicer is to have a supply and to circulate'them to soldiers. In addition, one hundred copies of the Act are being posted to tho High Commissioner for similar use, but these copies will not probably bo received in London in time for ships leaving England early in February for New Zealand." , Tho following is a copy 'f the statement mentioned in Sir James Allen's letter:— Part I of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1918, provides for taking a special licensing poll of all tiie electors of New Zealand (including members of the Expeditionary Forces who may 'bo out of New Zealand). Two alternative proposals are to be submitted—namely, (1) That National Prohibition, with compensation, shall come into forco throughout Now Zealand; and (2) that licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquor shall continue to be granted. The Governor-General has fixed April 10, 1919, as the date for taking the poll. The result is to be determined by a majority of the total number of valid votes recorded. ■ ]f tin , -result, is in favour of National Prohibition with compensation, the determination will come into force on June 30, 11)19. On that date all licenses of any description then in force in New Zealand will lapse, and cannot be renewed. It will be unlawful to import into New Zealand, or to manufacture or sell, intoxicating liquor of any description except for medicinal, scientific, Sacramental, or industrial purposes.

Persons suffering financial loss by termination of the trade in intoxicating liquor are entitled to compensation in accordance with principles defined in the Act

Section 2 fixes the aggregate limit of compensation as ,£4,500,000. The following persons and no others are entitled to claim compensation—namely: (1) Brewers; (2) owners, lessees, nnd sublessees of hotel premises; (3) owners of furniture in hotel premises; (4) licensees of hotel premises; (5) holders of wholesale licenses; (G) chartered clubs; (7) winemakers; (8) maltsters nnd owners of hop-kilns; (9) owners of vineyards; (10) owners of hop-gardens; (11) brewers' servants, hotel servants, and maltsters' servants. Claims for compensation are to be determined by specially constituted Compensation Courts. If the result is in favour of National Continuance, the tirade in alcoholic liquor will continue, but at the next ordinary licensing poll there will be submitted three proposals for decision by bare majority—namely: (1) National Continuance. (2) National Prohibition without Compensation. (3) State purchase and control.