LOCAL BODIES AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 448, 12 January 1909, Page 3

LOCAL BODIES AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Foxton’s Sensible Action

At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council a letter was received from the Horowhenua County Council forwarding copy of resolution passed by that Council on Dec. 12th as follows: — “ That the Clerk ascertain from the adjacent Borough and County Councils their opinion as to the advisability of an amendment in the existing “ Alcoholic Liquor Sale Control Act ” whereby the Reduction clause shall be repealed and in any Electorate where No-License is carried the control and sale of such liquors may, upon a petition signed by the same majority that carried No -, License and endorsed by a majority of the above Councils, become vested either in the whole of the said Local Bodies within such electorate or a Board elected by the people with powers for financing same. The nett proceeds . after providing for the relief of poverty to be used in providing mental and physical recreation for the people of such Electorate and should the above Councils favour a meeting, say in Palmerston North, will they undertake to be represented at same.”

Cr Hennessy said it was not a local question, and he did not think there was any reason for the Council to be mixing up in general politics.

The Mayor agreed with Cr Hennessy and considered it was a question for Parliament, Cr Frankland moved and it was seconded by Cr White, that this Council expresses its sympathy with that part of the Horowhenua County Council’s resolution which advocates the omission of the reduction issue.

Cr Frankland in speaking to the motion said that ofie reason in moving it and asking Cr White to second it was that as his and Cr White’s ideas on the general lines of this great question were opposed, it would show by moving the motion that they agreed that the reduction issue should be struck out of the ballot paper. Cr Coley said he did not consider the reduction issue should have been on the ballot paper, but at the same time he would not support the motion as he did not think it was a question for them to deal with.

The motion on being put to the meeting was lost.