LICENSING REFORM

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1927, Page 2

LICENSING REFORM

(Hv Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 27

The annual Conference of the Xew Zealand Licensing Reform Association was held to-day. and was attended by about eighty delegates from all parts of the Dominion.

The Rev Archdeacon Williams presided. He said there was an assurance that a Licensing Bill would he introduced. He hoped that it would lie framed on the lines of reform. The President said he looked upon prohibition as an invitation to disaster. Corporate Control would meet the needs of Xew Zealand. Briefly put, this proposal meant State Control without any

State expenditure. The Rev. Gordon Bell, (Auckland) moved : That this Conference reaffirm its conviction that the Corporate Control proposals provides a sound and practical solution of the liquor question in Xew Zealand, and strongly urges that it lie submitted to the Electors as an issue at the future polls. The motion was carried unanimously.

Air 0. Balk (Dunedin) moved: That this Conference of the Licensing Reform Association emphatically protests against the suggested defranchisenient of tlvo rapidly increasing body of electors who require a middle issue. The

motion was carried. Dr J. C. Collins (Gisborne) moved: That in view of the abandonment of prohibition in Canada and in other emnurics that have experimented with the system, this Conference respectfully urges upon the of the Legislature the recognition of the grave danger of placing Xew Zealand in such a position as would make it possible to plunge our happy country, by a catch vote, into the disastrous conditions that have t>een shown to follow attempted prohibition wherever tried. The motion was carried.

The following resolution, dealing with the question of election pledges, was also carried : That, in view of the continued political activity of the Prohibition Party, and the imminent danger of Parliament becoming eonfrolled bv an outside organisation, this Conference authorises the Dominion Lxecutive. if it is found necessary, to prepare and establish in every electorate throughout the Dominion an organisation for the purpose of ensuring that every elected candidate will enter Parliament free of all pledges, except those required by bis own political party.