LICENSING ISSUE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 September 1931, Page 7

LICENSING ISSUE

POSTPONEMENT OF POLL. UPPER HOUSE PASSES BILL. The Licensing Poll Postponement Bill was passed by the Legislative Council on Saturday morning. The Hon. Sir Thomas Sidey, Leader of tlie Council, in moving the second reading, said the Bill had been modified since it was first introduced because of the possibility of the general election being postponed. The Hon. W. Earnshaw said that the Government was putting the cart before the horse. The question of postponing the licensing poll should have been deferred until the people knew whether there was going to be a general election or not. He thought the alliance had blundered in agreeing to a postponement, and that the result would be that the movement for the abolition of the liquor traffic would be weakened. /' The Hon. W. H. Mclntyre expressed the opinion that the Government’s action would be endorsed by the great majority of the electors. He was sorry that the women’s organisations were adopting a hostile attitude. He thought the Government would be well advised to postpone the general election for two years, thus establishing the principle of a five-year Parliament. The Hon. O. J. Carrington said it would be unwise for Parliament to op* pose a postponement of the licensing poll in face of the agreement arrived at between the trade and the alliance. The Bill was read a second time and put through its committee stage. Speaking on the third reading, the Hon. L. M. Isitt said if he had thought that prohibition would have been carried he would have held up both hands in opposition to the Bill, but he was of opinion that if the alliance had declined to agi'ee to a postponement this year there would have been such a wave of resentment throughout the country that the cause would have lost many friends. Prohibition would have been snowed under. He w: ■■hod to correct an impression that the alliance had initiated the move to postpone the poll. The honour belonged to the trade; all the alliance did was to agree, in a. common-sense way, to the proposal. This decision, was arrived at by a full meeting, and was not as had been alleged, the outcome of a conference in Wellington between half a dozen men. Mr Mclntyre suggested that as an act of grace the trade should make a grant of £25,000 from its fighting fund for assistance of those in distress. The Hon. G. Witty: The other side might give an 1.0. U. (Laughter). j Mr Isitt: That is all we could do, old man. (Renewed laughter.) The Bill was passed.