WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THIS SESSION. END NOT IN SIGHT. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON. Nov. 10. As was predicted in these columns live or six weeks ago. Parliament is threatened during what should he the closing days of the session with a very grave congestion of business. .Mr Coates, following the example of his more experienced and adroit predecessors has kept some of his most contentious measures in the hack-ground until members are well in the fifth month of their attendance in Wellington, calculating. no doubt, upon the Canterbury Carnival, the shearing, the approach of harvest and the call of the home expediting the passage of his delayed measures. Hut the Labour Opposition is not turned from its purpose by trivialities of this kind, and the Prime Minister, it would seem, will have to await the pleasure of Mr Holland and his followers for the consummation of his proposals. So far the Oppositio has not been unreasonable in the exercise of its traditional rights, accepting defeat philosophically when it has been inevitable, and wasting much less time than its official critics would have the public believe. Air Coates has announced his readiness to sit till Christmas if so long a vigil should he rof|liired to finally solve the licensing problem, and at the moment it looks as if he might

he taifen at his word. I’HOHI HITION’S SOFT ANSWER

Official prohibition reviews the Prime Minister's licensing proposals with more than its customary tact. It congratulates Mr Coates upon his decision that “ the continued inclusion of the State purchase and control issue can hardly he justified, as it is not a live issue.” and it “ appreciates ” his statement that so far as he is concerned “the House will remain sitting until Christmas provided licensing legislation can he thrashed out and a satisfactory solution reached.” .More than this, official prohibition is gratified to have " the repeated assurance of the Prime Minister that licensing legislation will he left to free and untrammelled vote of members of the House.” Officialism maintains this admirable tone even when it is condemning the six-year-poll, the fifty-five per cent majority, and the permissive sale of liquor in diningrooms up to ten o’clock at night. “In conclusion,” it says, in rounding off an admirably restrained statement, “we

look to those members of Parliament, who at the last election declared themselves as opposed to any increase in the facilities for the manufacture, importation. and sale of alcoholic liquor, to see that such retrograde proposals as are contained in the present Hill are defeated when the Hill Is in the committee stage.” Surely a new spirit of “ sweet reasonableness ” has possessed the champions of prohibition. THE MODERATES. The New Zealand Licensing Reform Association crilieiV.es the Prime Afinistcr’s proposals with much less restraint than does the New Zealand Alliance, ft was in the field early with a resolution expressing “its amazement at the iniquitous proposal contained in the Licensing Hill for the deletion ol the third Issue, thereby disfranchising a large and rapidly growing hotly of thought in the Dominion, and. on behalf of the moderate electors, calls on Parliament to resist this violation of the principles of dr-mot racy.” To Hits resounding challenge. Air I). Al. Findlay, a vice-president ol lhe Licensing Reform Association, adds on his own

account the statement that it has come to him as a “ great shock ” that the Government “lias sacrificed the principles of justice and democracy on the altar of political opportunism.” anti lias “ wasted another opportunity ti legislate in the interests of true temperance in New Zealand.” Ol course the Licensing Reiorm Association does not yet carry quite so much weight with the politienns as does tlie New Zealand Alliance, and may fie its zeal for State Control has done less good than harm to the alternative proposal ; but without going the length ol endorsing its denunciation of the elimination of the third issue, it is easy to understand its indignation at the proposal to extinguish the raison d’etre for its existence. PRAISE FOR THE HILL.

The ” Evening Post” gives unstinted praise to Air C'oates's Bill and to its author. “Taking the sole responsibility upon his own shoulders,” it says.

the Prime .Minister has made a courageous attempt to cut through the tangle of liquor and anti-liquor party | interests. Though we may not agree I wholly with his proposals, we recognise Ids sincerity and wo voelome the straightforward appeal which lie has made other members to forget prejudices and strive for an acceptable solution. Tt remains to be seen whether members will respond, or whether, by insistence upon 100 per rent of their own desires, they will defeat any attempt to remove the worst features of the present law. It is probable that the host proposal in the Bill, the extension of the interval between polls, will moot with the hottest opposition. A'et this proposal is fully justified. The fight at each General Election has clouded the political issues, and the shortness of the guaranteed tenure lias made it impossible to demand from licensees the radical improvements desirable in the Trade. .Moreover, this triennial vote, as the statistical records show, lias boon to no purpose.” And so on and so on to a good column of print, which should greatly hearten the Prime Af.inistcr in the colossal task before him.