LICENSING BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1046, 13 November 1903, Page 3

LICENSING BILL.

BOTH SIDES QUITE SATISFIED .WITH THE POSITION.

'(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Mr Moss Davies, representing the liquor traffic in New Zealand, in connection with the Licensing Dill, interviewed, claimed that the trade had been most successful in regard to licensing matters. The division last night proved .what he expecteu, and what had been admitted by an sides, that the Bill was brought down too late in the session. He asserts that by, not opposing clause d the trade had been true advocates ol temperance, and the Prohibition party had now. openly, advocated the consumption of liquor, and declined to allow prohibition to be carried out in a true and ent re form in any district where the people had a desire, and had voted to stop the consumption of liquor. The tion advocates, by deserting their cause, had sounded its death-knell m New Zealand. ~ The Kev. Isitt, Secretary, of the New Zealand Alliance, says that he was not greatly surprised at the defeat of Lie Licensing Bill. H‘s paiiy are more than satisfied with Lhe result. The immediate future is full of hope to the no-license party, and of menace to the trade. DUNEDIN, last night. At the Presbyterian Assembly the 'announcement of the defeat of the [Liquor Bill was received with applauscj A motion of thanks to Providence was not accepted, not being proposed from the chair.

.(Special to- Gisborne Times.)

WELLINGTON, last night. The astonishing part of the defeat of the Licensing Bill is that the result is declared by both sides to be satisfactory, to them, and both the Premier and Mr Moss Davies, representative of “ the trade,” agree that it would have been better to have ■brought the Bill in earlier in the session, and Mr Seddon declares that [there will be no mistake about it next session; he intends to bring down a Licensing Bill at an early stage, and to push it through—make no mistake about that, he adds significantly. Here again, the Prohibition party profess to be well satisfied, and state that the Premier, by carrying out his intimation—they refer to it as a threat—will be serving their purpose admirably. They state that it is their intention now to assume the aggressive ; that they '.will not bo taken unawares if the Bill, is brought down early ; that the (Government , having absolved members from giving a purely party vote cannot go back on that principle next session ; that therefore members will lie at liberty to cast their votes individually, and will iind the pressure or the constituencies bahind them, to direct them in the way that Prohibitionists would have them go ; that the Premier may bring in the Bill, but will soon iind that it will he “ improved ” in a way that may not suit him, but will have the) support of the majority,; that next session 'will find the Temperance solidly organised, not merely to oppose any measure leaning towards the trade, ■but to mould sueli 1 measure into tho form of a Prohibition victory ; that in short, the Prohibition party will liave all to gain by the early introduction of the Bill next session. As both parties express themselves so Well satisfied with the present and probable aspect of affairs, everyone •ought to bo pleased. One thing is certain, that the tell-tale divisioniist will cause some of the membess to get a warm time from one side or the other. 0 The old excuse of giving a party vote has been cut away [by the Premier himself.