THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 939, 11 July 1903, Page 3

THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A deputation numbering about 110 'delegates to the No-license Convention, with some 33 members of Parliament, waited on Mr Seddon tonight. At the outset, Mr Seddon expressed a hope that the deputation would not refer to matters which were still sub judice. He himself did nob wish to say or do anything that cculd be construed as likely in any way to influence questions that were at present before the courts of jus-, ■tice.

Mr A. S. Adams, President of the New Zealand Alliance, said the members of the deputation appreciated the Premier’s reference to cases that were now before the courts, and said he could assure him that nothing would be said that would be likely to interfere with the course •of justice. He went on to point out the very serious consequences .that had ensued owing to imperfections of the law in inquiries concerning the conduct of the licensing polls. The deputation desiredwto urge that no poll should be liable to be upset by mere technicalities. They asked that the law be altered to provide that a poll could not be declared void through irregularities unless it was shown that ,the poll did not express the wish of the people. Further, they asked that when a poll was upset a fresh poll should immediately be taken. He suggested the repeal of sub-section 3 of section ' 4 of the Act of 1895, which provides that a poll shall be void unless one half of the electors on the roll shall have voted.; .Referring to official incompetency and blundering in polling booths, he urged that some penalty should be provided which would make it well worth the while of the officers to properly qualify themselves for their duties. He expressed (gratification at the action of the Government in withdrawing the club charters at Ashburton. 'There was some doubt as to the legality of the position in reference to club charters in no-license districts, and he thought the law should make it clear that no club charters should prevail in prohibition areas. The 'bottle licenses which still existed in Otago and Nelson should be abolished and wholesale and accommodation licenses should come under the Reduction as well as the No-license vote. Packet licenses should no longer be granted in our harbors and inland waters and rivers. He asked that what he termed the absolutely inept definition of a public bar in the Act of 1881 should be amended. With regard to the King Country lie suKcesled that section. 33 oi the Act Of 1895 should be made thoroughly applicable to the King Country, so as to prevent anyone importing liquor on any pretence whatever into the King Country. Rev. E. Walker urged the necessity of legislation to prevent the vast number of irregularities that had occurred in connection with licensing polls. He strongly protested on behalf of the convention against tne proposed removal of elective committees, and asked for the introduction of scientific physiological temperance education into our public bt Mr ol ß. French, of Auckland suggested that tlie compulsory weekly halfholiday should apply also to hotel ba ßev. T. G. Hammond appealed to the Premier to absolutely prohibit the importation of liquor into the King Country. , Itcv. F. W. Isitt said thay wanted ed to see barmaids abolished, and the law strictly enforced in Prohibition districts. * , ~ Mr James Allen, M.H.R., on behalf of tile Bruce electorate, urged the Government to introduce legislation to validate a poll when it was proved that the irregularities did not affCMrt!T.' E SU Taylor, M.H.R., argued fox the immediate and absolutely impartial enforcement of the law. in Prohibition districts. ~ Mr J McLachlan, M,11.R., sum that three-fifths of the Ashburton ■electors bad declared for No-licente and he was determined to support tlm will of the pqople. . Mr Barber, M.H.R., urged that as soon as possible should be introduced to enable a fresh poll to be taken in Newtown. Hon. G. Jones, M.L.C., said that after the full expression of views of the deputation, the whole matter might well be left to the large heart and common-sense of the Premierv Mr Seddon, in replying, expresses his appreciation oi the reasonable manner in which the deputation had placed their views before him. But I be wished to deny that the sympathies of any member of tlie Executi e had prevented the law from being given effect to in No-license districts. In Clutha the Government had insisted on the law being carried out, and thev would continue to make every effort to see that effect was given to* the will of tne people. The fault did not lie with the Government or those who administered the law. The defect was in the law itself. It was the bounden duty of the Government to see that the law of the land was perfected when the will of the people wa’s given effect to. The deputation had submitted some fifty points to him and he did not propose to go into’them fully at present. They required the earnest and matured con-J sideration of himself and his colleagues. He wished to do lull jus-

' tice to all the matters placed before him. With regard to the request for a fresh poll when the poll had been declared void, he thought the failure of the Legislature to make provision for such cases was purely accidental. The oversight, he thought, had occurred in attempting to save expense by utilising the machinery provided for the election of local bodies. If

Parliament had intended the omission, it would have been clearly stated. The question now arose whether, in amending the law on this point Parliament would make it retrospective. Therein lay the great difficulty. 1-Ie knew of only one case, that of native land legislation, in which Parliament had deliberately made legislation retrospective. This! brought him to Mr James Allen’s request for a bill to validate the) .Bruce poll. In asking the Government to do that, Mr Allen was ask-1 iKg them to do what had never pre-1 viously been done. I Mr Allen : Will you give me facili-l ties for bringing in the bill '! Mr Seddon : you have the same I freedom as the Premier for bringing in a bill. I iVTv Sv/i/l/lnn TTTrmf nr> i c«<-vrr ili o f I

Mr went on to say that lie bad endeavored years ago to do away with bottle licenses. lie was entirely with the deputation in regard to carelessness by returning i officers. He held that it should not be in the power of anyone, wilfully or otherwise, to upset the will of the people. Government officers I would be better fitted than tempor-1 ary men to fill these positions. He agreed also, that heavy penalties should be imposed for negligence, etc With regard to the present system of hearing licensing poll disputes by Magistrates, he thought there ought to be some change, but it was I not for him to say in what direction I He declared emphatically that club I charters should be subject to the will 1.. T 4 I

ot the people. It might be that the Colonial Secretary had not power to revoke charters in No-license areas, but the sooner that doubt was cleared up, the better for all concerned. He would go further than the deputation 'had done, and say that in Prohibition districts he would allow no one to have liquor j in his house. Clause 33. would stop liquor being imported. People would get it unless they were prevented having it in their own houses. 1-Ie gave place to no one in his earnest •desire to save the Maori race. The King Country was going to be settled by Europeans, and the people I there would demand the same right as the people in other parts of the

colony to say yes or no on the liquor question. Mr T. E. Taylor : We won’t have •hat. The King Country is and must remain a prohibited area. Mr Seddon said that the present position was unsatisfactory,. But whether the law was to be altered for that one case, it was not for him to say. If the licensing laws were made applicable to the King Country and it came under the No-license rule, clause 33 would apply, but it would require a three-flftlis majority to carry licenses in that district. He declared that reference was made in the Governor’s Speech to the licensing question.