THE AMENDING BILL.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 54, 1 September 1926, Page 10

THE AMENDING BILL.

NOT A MATTER OF POLITICS

VIEWS OP NEW ZEALAND. EEFOEM

ASSOCIATION.

In a letter addressed to members of Parliament, the Now Zealand Licensing Kcform Association expresses the following views on the Licensing Amendment Bill:—

"It has come to our knowledge that in a recent circular sent to members of Parliament by the New Zealand Alliance a thinly-veiled threat was embodied to the effect that the alliance would be bound to take notice of the attitude of members of Parliament and candidates for Parliament on this vital question. ' 'Prior to the last General Election we urged all candidates to refuse to pledge themselves to any organisation on the liquor question. Wo asked for no pledges ourselves; and we trusted to the wisdom of candidates to refrain from giving such pledges as would permit the New Zealand Alliance to dominate Parliament. It is still our hope that the members of Parliament will show, by their attitude in relation to, licensing legislation, that tho trust of the moderate community has not been misplaced. We look with grave alarm at the possibility of the moderate section being compelled, in self-protection, to enter the political arena, and to make the preservation of our social liberties tho foremost question, in tho selection of our representatives in Parliament. We appeal to the wisdom and to the sense of proportion and the principles of justice of the members of the Legislature, to protect the country from being divided on this one question. It is obvious that the people of New Zea- j land—overwhelmingly moderate in their outlook on all questions—will not be prepared to stand idly by and see our Parliament dominated by an extremis 1 organisation. We are aware that the members of Parliament are being postered with messages and telegrams organised by the Prohibition Party in an attempt to create a bogus impres-. sion of public opinion. You will realise that our association, embracing as it does all the organised forces opposed to Prohibition, could easily arrange for an avalanche of telegrams from all parts of the Dominion. We do not intend, however, to insult the members of the House with any such demonstration,- but would respectfully remind you that the true, public opinion was registered at the last poll, when the people of Now Zealand declared, by the overwhelming majority of 36,177 votes, that they were opposed to the policy of tho Prohibitionists. We deprecate the truculent and threatening attitude of tho Prohibitionists towards the members of the House, and trust that the people's representatives will maintain the independence of the Legislature by firmly resisting the attempt that is boing made to force them under the yoke of a sectional organisation."