KING COUNTRY’S REQUEST FOR CLUB CHARTERS

Grey River Argus, 16 November 1948, Page 6

KING COUNTRY’S REQUEST FOR CLUB CHARTERS

PA. TAUMARUNUI, Nov. 15. A largely attended meeting of representatives of social clubs and local bodies in the Central and Southern King Country, including Taumarunui, Ohakune and Raetihi, met to-day, deploring the position in regal’d to the Licensing Bill. , F Telegrams between the Mayor of Taumarunui, Mr D. H. Hall, and the Attorney-General, Hon. H. G. K. Mason, had led to the belief that charters could, at present, be granted by the. Minister to King Countryclubs, irrespective of the proposed referenda. • . . The Mayor stated that, on Friday, all clubs in the Waimarino electorate were advised by Mr P. Kearins, Member for the District, to send applications at once to the Minister for charters. Now it appeared that there was no legislation by which charters could be granted in this way. Tho Mayor considered that the King Country had been taken for a ride on the liquor question, and were living in a fool’s paradise if they thought they would get a charter, or even a license, with a 60-40 majority. A motion was carried to send a deputation to Wellington to appeal before the Select Committee, asking 101 club charters as recommended by the Commission, and a modification ol the poll to one referendum, in place oi one for the Maori and one for the Europeans, and that by a bare majority.