N.S.W. LIQUOR POLL

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1921, Page 3

N.S.W. LIQUOR POLL

1 <(tc - j GOVERNMENT INCLINED TO j ABANDON PROPOSAL. SYDNEY, Dec. 15. i The prohibitionists of this State are furiously up in arms against the suggestion that it is not the intention of the Labour Government to take a reI ferenclum on the prohibition issue early . next year. • ! Early in 1919 certain prohibitionists ! brought pressure to hear on the Na- j 1 tional Governmtnt, and succeeded in getting a Bill passed providing that the referendum should he taken not later than June, 1920. A change of 1 Government has taken place in the meantime, and the new Government I does nob like prohibition or prohibition- 1 ists. Recently the prohibitionists, feeling anxious, waited upon the Premier and asked him his intentions in regard to the poll. He replied simply that in any event the vote could not be taken before March. ! It is now announced authoritatively > that Cabinet is very much averse to taking a poll at all. Money is very, scarce, and the cost of the referendum would not he less than £BO,OOO. If there were any doubF about the issue of the vote there would be no excuse in refusing to give effect to the promise . of the late Government. But it, is quite clear that there is no chance of prohibition being carried in this State. The great value of the wine industiy is sufficient in itself to prevent the people wiping it out ol existence. Then there is the further question o! compensation. The Bill provides that, if prohibition is carried, the liquor interests shall receive compensation. The Government is now having compiled an authoritative estimate of the amount, of compensation that would have to he ' paid. It is believed that it would be at least £15,000,000. The Government believes that it can avoid the manda- j tory provisions ol the Liquoi Rofeien-; duiii Bill, and so save the State a heavy j expense, - j Meanwhile, the probilnlioiiists aie showing a good deal o( excitement, and insisting that the law as it stands be given effect to.