LICENSING BILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 3 December 1927, Page 5

LICENSING BILL

LOCAL OPINION “TRIBUNE" INTERVIEWS. PROS AND CONSA ‘‘Tribune" representative, yesterday and to-day, interviewed in swift succession a number of the prominent Citizens of Hastings, comprising hotel proprietors, business men and clergymen, on the question of the Licensing Bill recentlv passed in the House ot Representatives, and was successful in gathering the following selection ot views on both sides oi the question. MR. CROOKS. GRAND HOTEL. This gentleman said that he did not think the bare majority decision would make any diiierence, and that in his opinion prohibition would get n bigger smack than ever. He nevertheless objected to the principle of a bare majority on the question, giving it as his view that it is grossly unfair to take away a long-established practice on the vote of one man. He was ot opinion that the voting in the House did not represent the private and conscientious views of members, but rather the expressions of the views of certain interests that were pushing them from behind. He suspected that there was a certain amount ot vote-chasing in the recent finding of the House. He obj'ected to members going in pledged up to the hilt to support certain interests. It was not government, as government should be. The Government, he said, was not out to reform the trade, but merely to kick it out ci existence. MR. WHITE. CARLTON HOTEL. Mr, White said: “The Government is simply throwing good revenue away. No one can deny that Neither can anyone deny that the revenue will have to be raised out of other commodities, if this bill becomes law. ]• cannot see where the justice is in destroying one legitimate trade in order to make others suffer heavier taxation. 1 reckon that 1 have es much right to mv business without outside interference as Has any man in town." MR. LE SIEUR. This gentleman said: “I agree with the Prime Minister in his opposition to the bare majority vote. It is absurd that one individual might settle the question of the livelihood of men who are seeking—as other business men are seeking—to earn a Jiving. Mv own business, as can be seen by the strictest inspection, is run on high-class lines, and no who is intoxicated is served by my employees. The expenditure of capital has been considerable and it appears to me that the Legislature would bo better employed in seeking to find ways and means of improving industrial and social conditions in New Zealand, than in endeavouring to hound out legitimate business by grand-motherly legislation. I freely admit that my own interests are at stake, but I have yet to be convicted of dealing unfairly bv my clients. The Licensing Bill is a direct attack upon my fellow traders, and as such 1 oppose it. It is my opinion that a referendum of the whole population of the country should be taken, and that the period of interval should be six years, to allow hotel proprietors to bring their premises right up to date. “We pay £4O a year to the Borough Council for the privilege of having a business, and we are the only kind of business so taxed. In addition, we have the most strict police supervision. Give us fewer tied houses and more free houses, and the public will be more adequately served. KEV. D. J. A. SHAW The Presbyterian minister of Hastings gave it a s his opinion that the measure was a very good thing. He would not have objected to a proposal for a bigger majority, but as Mr. Lee had pointed out, if a thing is wrong, on a bare majority, it is just as wrong on a big majority. The objections as to possible unemployment were, in his opinion, invalid in view of present economic conditions. The elimination of the third issue put the whole question on a fair basis for both parties. Referring to the revenue question, Mr. Shaw indicated that the brewing trade takes, say, £llOO from the public, out of which it gives back a sms iI er proportion than any other industry. The same amount put into other channels returns a larger proportion for general distribution, and would mean more employment and a higher standard all round “I have nothing against the hotelkeeper,” said Mr. Shaw, “so long as he conducts his business properly. But if the majority of the people say, ‘We don’t want his business.’ them as a democrat, 1 agree that the decision must hold.’ REV. r. A. BENNETT, Mr Bennett expressed himself as follows “I find it a little difficult to make any suitable comments upon the bill which is not yet hatched out, and which may yet prove to be addled. 1 am entirely in favour of the bare majority, the two-issue ballot paper, and the vote on the licensing question to synchronise with the ordinary parliamentary elections. “Personally 1 would like to see national prohibition carried in this fair Dominion of ours. What a blesaing it would be to our Maori people" as well as to the pakeha. “When during the great war our Empire was at death grips with the enemy one great word which was ever before us was ‘efficiency.’ For the sake of efficiency we curtailed the hours in which liquor could bo sold, and in many cases prohibited the sale of intoxicating beverages altogether. Is there any reason why we should be less efficient as a people now than then? And if by banishing liquor then it tended to greater efficiency why slacken down irfiw? We in onr se-eral callings should endeavour to make the nation more and more efficient. Let those of us of this generation leave a better heritage for our children than that which fell to our lot. “If this new Licensing Act will tend to bring the happy day of prohibition nearer, then welcome to the bill I"-

SOME BUSINESS MEN. A few representative business men were requested to give their views. One, who has taken a keen interest in temperance refohn. commended the principle embodied in the bill whereby the people have the right to determine the question ror themselves and said that the Prime Minister had shown courage in introducing his promised measure this session, and had ended the controversy in the only constitutional way, ’by placing the responsibility on the House. “As •long as the trade continues.” he said, “license-holders should have fair treatment. The clauses dealing with the traffic in goodwill, if drifted so as to be enforceable, will be a protection to better conduct of the trade." the experience of hotel pro. prieturs in Hastings nad been unfortunate, there having been a greater number of failures amongst tnem than in any other trade. >

. Another business owner gave it as his view that the main advantage accruing from the bill, as passed in the Lower House, is that we have got down to the principle of the bare majority vote. Another advantage, not much less in importance, is that the third alternative has been eliminated. Nevertheless he hoped if the hill became law, that to settle the question definitely and clearly, the vote would go heavily one way or the other.

Another Hastings business man, who is not a prohibitionist, said (hat he had no objection to the principle of the people’s straight-out vote on such a question. “It is a democratic measure,” he said, “that gives a straight chance to the populace re declare its mind, and as a loyal citizen 1 would be prepared to abide by the decision.” We understand on good authority that the fact of the bill’s being amended in the Upper House necessitates its re-consideration bv the Lower House in Committee, so that there is little if any chance of its being passed into law this session.