WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1928, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE LICENSING PROBLEM

TWO ISSUES AND BARE -MAJORITY

(Special to “Guardian”.)

WELLINGTON, May 28

The “ Evening Post ” in applauding the Prime -Minister’s “ courageous attempt ” to secure a settlement of the licensing issue implies agreement with Mr Coates in doubting the expediency of a “ bare majority ” in determining so momentous a question. ‘‘A majority of the people, we are convinced, whether favouring Prohibition or not,” it says, “share the Prime Minister’s concern as to whether Prohibition obtained by the bare majority would assure complete and definite compliance with the law. It seems hopeless to expect from the Alliance an appreciation of this viewpoint; but it is a viewpoint which Parliament cannot ignore.” With a Government holding office by virtue of a minority of the votes cast at the last general election, and with the present system of licensing upheld by only a minority of the electors, it seems incongruous to demand that more than a majority should he required to introduce another system. The “ Post,” however, upholds tho action of the Legslative Council last session in interposing between the elected Chamber and the “hare majority” and apparently would do so again in similar circumstances. THE PROSPECTS. Official Prohibition has made it attitude towards this question quite plain and il seems that a majority of the members of the present House of Representatives arc pledged to give expression lo its views. This being so il is difficult to see how tho Prime Minister can fare any better during the approaching session than he did last session, when only the intervention of the “ Revising Chamber ” saved him from a serious rebuff. -As far as can be gathered by a casual canvass the opinions of members of tbe House are divided much as they were six months ago and it is difficult to think of a compromise that would bring the parties together . The principle of the hare majority is now so generally accepted in the Dominion that public sympathy in this case probably will he with the Prohibitionist, but it may be doubted if a majority of a few hundreds or even a few thousands would prove an unmixed Messing to the community. With parties so evenly divided the liquor question might dominate (lie polities of the country for a decade. SHADOW OF THE ELECTION. The Tfoti. A. D. McLeod, the Minister of Lands, and the Minister of Trade and Commerce, as well as Chid Oragniser and Director ol the Relorm Party outside Parliament, is not finding his election campaign this year surh a bed of roses as was his highly successful campaign in 1925. llis audiences in the interval have become mere critical and less confiding. Addressing a rally of the Reform League one night last week he prefaced his

“reply” to some remarks -Mr Robert Semple had made concerning the drift, of workers from the country to the towns, by saddling the president of the Labour Council with some very indiscreet remarks .Mr P. 11. Hickey had made in the course of n " strike ” speech some tourtecu years ago, and invited bis audience to toll him how the author of such words could be regarded as a. worthy lender ol the workers. Naturally the members of the Labour Party are making the most of his slip. 11 has been leTt to the resourceful secretary ol the Retoiin League to explain that it is the application of electricity to milking machines that has driven agricultural laboui into the towns. THE UNITED PARTY: The United Political Party, which a week or two ago appeared to lie making some considerable progress towards providing perplexed electors with an alternative to both Reform and Labour, appears to have suffered a set-hack by two of the gentlemen it had named as its candidates at the approaching general election disclaiming any association with the new organisation, leiliaps there are circumstances which will put a different- complexion upon the matter, but at the moment the l tided p a rty lias offered no explanation. Meanwhile the Reformers are making capital out of the incident, and again emphasising the absurdity ol a thiid party remaining in the field. Labour, naturally, is less perturbed than is Reform by tho prospect of a three-cornered contest. As a matter of fact it would have much to gain by tbe United Partv detaching votes from Reform and little to lose in the way of defections from its own ranks. At the moment it mn> be said that United Party stock is depressed while Labour stock is bal dening.