WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1928, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

LICENSING POLL

PROM HUTTON'S DEBACLE

(Special to ” Guardian ”.)

WELLINGTON, December 3

The New Zealand Alliance by the overwhelming defeat of prohibition at the recent licensing referendum liar suffered a debacle almost as serious a* the one experienced by the Reform Party in the political field. At the referendum of 1919. the country’s first experience of the operation of the present three-issue ballot paper. 270.2b!' votes wore fast for Prohibition and 2T1.2b1 for Continuance, only the .42.21:-l votes cast for State Purchase and Coni rol preventing the Alliance achieving its goal. Continuance war saved by 3202 votes. In 1922, t?:e margin was raised to 1 7.00 b; in 192" to 20,177 and tin’s year it reached l 11.32" j. Official Prohibition explains that file decline in the “ No License ” voie is due to lack of .’funds to maintain tin' light and the average supporter -puts ii down to the introduction of the political (dement into the arena. All lhat if- is necessary to say here is that the liquor campaign was nine 1 bettor organised than was the prohibition campaign. NEEDED REFORM:

Archbishop Avorill, one ol Llio sanest ami most earnest leaders of social reform' the Anglican Church has given to tlm Dominion, speaking in his own diocese during the . week-end made an allusion to the liquor traffic which surelv should set the advocates ol pro hihifion thinking. ‘‘The best Iriends of Prohibition.” he said, “ must realise licit tiie cause has received a serious set-back, and from the recent pel it seems that 'Prohibition will not he carried in our generation.' For that reason, surely, if would be better to lev for a proverbial huM'-way Im l her reforms, siuli as the ahoiit'oii ol tied house's, the conversion ol liars into open restaurants, and the prohibition of spirits extept under medical orders.” A consistent, silhserhcr to file prohibition funds dismissing the question of liquor reform to day said lie would lie quite prone.red to accept the compromise' suggested by Archloshop Averili. lie would rather have hall a loaf than no bread and lie believed the leloims indicated h.v iiis Brace, strictly administered. would satisfy a very ia 'trc proportion of tin* opponents of the • | i-ade.” At any i ate if would he a

step in the right direction. POLITICAL SITUATION

Notwithstanding the reversal of a single vote giving Mr i.i. M. Run 1 ' worth the Bav of Plenfv seat in place of Colonel Beil, the Reformers sti' claim to have the largest party in tin new House of Renrcsentai ives. In eluding the two Maori vies on its own siih' it represents its strength as twenty-'’gilt, toinrt’iig. of course, tie two Independent .Reformers, Mr A. Harris, and Mr Y\ . D. Lysnar, and represents th< United, Party's strength as twenty-seven, excluding, equally of course, the four Independents wh" have indicated plainly enough their intention to vote with Sir Joseph 1\ ard on the crucial question of confidence. There is no reason to suppose, therefore. that Mr Atmore, Mr Wilkinson, ■md Mr Poison, will practise greater Midepcndence than will Mr Harris and Mr Lysnar. The matter of real mt crust when the House turns to serious business tins week will he the alt l"<b the Labour Partv. Stories are abroad that Mr 11. E. Holland and bis followers will find means of embarrassing iio.ii Ibe c,fber parties. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Street, gossip having;-exhausted itself in discussing the political situation (urns languidly to the nllniis •-•! the Legislative Council, which with tin* re I irement of Sir Francis Hell from the leadership promises to become more a phi -0 of pul it it s and less a phue ,l l re vision than it has been during the last fourteen or fifteen years. It has been suggested—here in. earnest and there. j n j(. s t—that Sir Francis should he retained in this high office, hut even if the newcomers wore disposed to forego this particular perquisite, it is certain Sir Francis would look only on the humorous side of the suggestion. Already. however, there are Severn aspirants to the position; but Ihe probability is that no appointment will he made until the regular meeting of Parliament next year. Though the Constitution places no limit on the number rif Councillors that may he appointed it is expected that neither the going nor the coming Government will make : „,y considerable addition to the roll.