LICENSING BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1927, Page 4

LICENSING BILL

NO OH'AXCE FOR HILL. avflllntltox, Dee. 2. Aflor the public admission of letul--20*4 supporters of the hare majority on the licensing issue that their Hill is dead, it may confidently be assumed that no agreement will be secured when the two Houses give negotiators the task of endeavouring to reconcile the opposing views represented by the Hill as it left the House of Representatives and flit' Hill as i( returned from flu' Legislative Council. Following (he usual course., though only in a formal way. because members agree that failure is certain, there may he several conferences. Mr F. P. L *0 (Oamaru). who is iu charge of the Bill in the Lower House, will probab-

ly move to agree with some amendments designed to improve control over hotels, hut lie will ask the House to disagree with the Council amendments on the majority issue and the interval between polls. 'Phis resolution will he carried, and the conference will onsr.e. Failing agreement, the Bill cannot go further. WILL IT BE REVIVED NEXT SESSSIOX ?

The supporters of the Bill feel that the difficulties are too great to hope for success even if the measure is introduced early in the session. Ihe Bill is full of clauses which, involving appropriations, cannot be moved by a private member. Obviously the Prime Minister would not undertake this task, and it might lie suggested that one of his nix Ministerial colleaguefavouring the 'hare majority and shoe, tenure could do so. Here again the difficulty arises that any such action would create a serious difficulty among Cabinet colleagues and with the leader. This plan was abandoned almost as soon as it occurred to its authors, and the no-license group is left with the prospect ot making their views an issue at the next general election. This is their clear intention, a decision which may cut seriously across the pnth of ordinary politics, as every party in the House is divided on the subject.