THE LICENSING BILL

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 31 July 1914, Page 4

THE LICENSING BILL

IT'S FALL

THE fate of the Licensing Bill was decided in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night,- when the vital clause, providing for 55 per cent, being substituted for- three-fifths, as the effective majority in the national prohibition issue, was, as prognosticated by the Press a week ago, struck out of the Bill by 33 votes to 31.

REFERENCE TO EDEN DISTRICT

Mr Massey defended the proposal to make a differentiation in regard to the effective majorities for national prohibition and local option. He thought that a larger majority should be required to carry local no-license than should be required to carry national prohibition. In regard to local no-license, there were several factors in operation. There were trade jealousies and personal likes and dislikes to be taken into account. Sometimes the members of the trade in one electorate did their best to bring about noicense in an adjoining electorate. He had in mind a case in point with which the Auckland members were doubtless familiar.

Mr Myers (Auckland East) : Are you referring to the Auckland district ?

Mr Massey: Yes. Mr Myers : lam not aware of it.

Mr Massey : I am referring to Eden. lam prepared to give the names of the men concerned to Mr Myers privately.

Sir J. Ward: That is a strong argument against local nolicense.

Mr Massey: Yes, there is a growing feeling against such a system of patchwork as local nolicense. So far as national prohibition is concerned, if 55 per cent of the electors are in favour of it I think we chould have it and be prepared to put up with it. Mr Massey added that he was still in favour of the threefifths majority so.far as local nolicense was concerned, but in regard to national; prohibition he regarded 55 per cent as a sufficiently stable majority.

After Mr Massey's speech the motion regarding the short title was carried oh the voices.

On clause 2, Mr Payne moved to strike out 55 per cent, with a view to inserting his prorosal for a bare majority on a compulsory vote.

The Hon. J. A. Millar .(Dunedin West) supported this proposal because it would give an actual bare majority. At present, with 77 per cent voting, a three-fifths majority, 43 men and women out of eveiy 100 could brand this Dominion as a nation of drunkards. He wanted to test Prohibitionists and see if they were sincere in their demand for a bare majority.

M,t Isitt indignantly repudiated this attempt to kill the Bill.

Mr Millar : What have I to do with it ?

Mr Issit: That is what I want to know. (Laughter). It is because he is the sworn friend of the trade.