LICENSING BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1927, Page 4

LICENSING BILL

PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT. WELLINGTON. Nov. 29. In tho House of Representatives tonight Mr Coates made a statement regarding the Licensing Hill as follows: 1 desire to make the following statement as to the line of action I intend to take in connexion with the Licensing Hill. I need not recall to hon. members the position at which consideration of this measure was adjourned. If is sufficient for my purpose to say that by amendments in the House the Hill had taken a form which I personally could not hold myself responsible lor. and accordingly moved to report progress in order to allow time lor reflection and for consultation with representatives of different points of view. lion, members will recollect that by a division of II to 111 progress was reported accordingly and leave obtained for the Committee on the Hill to sit again. In the interval many members have called upon me and have stated very definitely their view that had the effect of the vote to report progress been thoroughly understood by them, they would have lelt it necessary to vote in a different manner, and it is doubtful whether progress would have been reported had these members voted in accordance with what they now declare to he their conviction. The situation has consequently been to some extent obscured by this misunderstanding, and in the circumstances I have received intimation from a very large majority ol members of my Party in Parliament that in their opinion an opportunity should be afforded for the Hill to receive further consideration this ses-

During the period since progress was reported 1 have carried out to the fullest extent the undertaking that T gave at the time. I have made opportunity for frequent consultation with honourable members representing opposing points ol view, and have done all that lay m my power to bring about an agreement. My principal effort has been to arrange a compromise upon the question ol the majority that should lie required to carry National Prohibition, hut I regret to say that in this direction my efforts have been unavailing. It is a tact that many members of the House are definitely pledged to n hare majority on this question, and these members leel that they have no power to accept or even to consider any compromise on this point. On every other question ! am happy to say 1 have been able to arrange a complete agreement between those honourable members with whom I have been in conference, and it has been possible also to agree upon two further proposals which 1 am confident that opinion of all shades will approve :

(1) That there should he a system of licensing barmen. (2) That the payment of large sums of money for goodwill on the transfer of a license should be prohibited. This goodwill, whatever it purported to be, was in actual fact paid for the license itself. It lias been agreed on both sides that the traffic in licenses issued b.v the State is not in the interests of the country. Though the actual terms of this provision have not yet been drafted, the principle has been approved.

“ Though all must regret that an agreement on the question of majority to he required lias been found to lie impossible of attainment, in the circumstances very great progress has in general been made in the short time at my disposal for negotiation. I feel that it is a real advance to be able to report an agreement (with that one important exception) between those honourable members bidding opposing views, and I feel that those concerned deserve thanks for the manner in which they met us, although we are, ol course, still faced with the definite and final conflict of opinion on the question of the majority. My own personal conviction on the matter is unchanged, f still hold the view that no measure of this kind should he allowed to pass without a sufficient majority in the country to secure its enforcement, and to afford that degree of stability which such a revolutionary change demands. My opinion on this point is rendered only stronger by tbo anxiety expressed in some quarters that in the event ot Prohibition being carried no poll for restoration should be taken for a lengthy period. Surely no stronger case for a substantial majority could be made than the existence of some considerable nervousness that Prohibition might almost immediately bo reversed. " I find it impossible also to ignore two further considerations—Firstly, that should Prohibition he carried, a largo number of people would lie thrown out of employment, and that a period of dislocation and confusion (temporary at least) must ensue, and secondly, that one immediate effect of the cnfnroemont of Prohibition would he a

material reduction in revenue, amounting to some two million pounds per annum in Customs and excise duties alone, and that an immediate difficulty in the administration of the finances of the country must he experienced. I feel also that other features in the matter are worthy of consideration, and perhaps I may lie excused if I refer to one personal aspect. I think that at last General Election many members of the Reform Party were returned, not only on their personal qunll. fications. or as a result of their own appeal to electors, hut largely by virtue of the fact that they announced their adherence, to the Reform Party, and their intention to support myself as leader. Aow, as leader of my Party, and Prime Minister of the country, my responsibilities are wider than the responsibilities of any one member of the Party or of the House. 1 am unable to take an individual point of view, and 1 am hound to consider, especially in the case of such sweeping reform as would be involved in the carrying of Prohibition, my responsibility to the whole of the electors of the Dominion, and not merely to a section. Weighing these conflicting points of view one against the other, and giving most careful and earnest consideration, to every aspect of the matter that appeared to me to he worthy of attention. I have come to the conclusion that it is my duty in the circumstances to give the House another opportunity of considering the Bill, especially with the improvements to which I have referred. and generally to enable those members who feel that they have been placed in a false position to tako what action they now consider necessary, j An opportunity will accordingly be' taken for further consideration of the! Bill in Committee. J In taking this course 1 wish it to be clearly understood in the House and i in the country that my own views on j the matter are entirely unchanged, and, even at this last moment I urge lion, members to consider carefully the pro-1 ■ nosal that I originally placed before'| 1 the House. The Bill, as it was amend- ( 1 ed in Committee, is not, in my judgment. a wise measure, and there must ! be no doubt whatever ns to my own 1 position. I never have been, and lam 1 not now, a supporter of the bare ma-l ’ jority on this issue. The House in its I wisdom lias thought otherwise, nnd,when affording an opportunity members ! have asked for, to consider the Bill ( 1 further, I want to take the opportunity , * of divesting myself of all further re- j | sponsibifity for its carriage in its pre- 1 <• sent form.