THE LICENSING ISSUE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3797, 26 May 1928, Page 3

THE LICENSING ISSUE.

♦ PREMIER PROMISES ANOTHER BILL. Wellington, Yesterday. Resolutions o£ the annual conference of the New Zealand Alliance were placed before the Premier and the Minister of Health, Hon. J. A. Young, to-day by a deputation some hundred strong. The speakers asked for the bare majority, a two-issue ballot paper, and the introduction of a Licensing Bill early in the coming session which might be given a free passage. IN DEADLY EARNEST. The principal speaker was Mr. C. Todd, president of the Alliance, who said they were in deadly earnest and demanded that in a democratic country like Nev r Zealand the question should be settled by a plain yes or no. Mrs. T. E. Taylor, Dominion president of the W.C.T.U., dealt with the subject from the standpoint ol economic waste and the welfare of the rising generation. The secretary of the Alliance, Mr. C. A. Edmonds, presented the resolutions. POLICE STRONG ENOUGH? In the course of his reply, in which he covered the history of last session’s Bill, Mr. Coates said that if there was to be a readjustment in the liquor laws he believed it would be necessary to have sufficient police support behind them to ensure that the law would be given effect to. He was nervous and concerned as to whether complete and definite compliance with the law would be got. The Premier suggested that if anyone wanted to get experience of political life he should introduce a Licensing Bill. “And I need hardly 101 l you that you will get all the excitement and a great deal more information than by deailng with any other subject.” (Laughter). HISTORY OF THE BILL. Mr. Coates traced the history of the Bill which was introduced following a promise by his predecessor. He paid a tribute to the sincere earnestness and devotion of those who believe in prohibition, declaring that he was not unmindful of the great body of people behind that movement.

He had introduced the Bill for the purpose of raising the licensing question, and of possible points of compromise between the opposing members. It was absolutely nonparty, and his Ministerial colleague, Mr. Young, sitting beside him at the deputation, did not support him. (Laughter and applause). When the Bill took a shape of which he disapproved he reported progress to get in touch with the various members of his party to bring about a series of conferences. Many were held, but no compromise was secured. Therefore, he left it to Parliament, and he believed that that was the attitude of Sir Frances Bell in the Legislative Council. There was no intention to dodge the question, but he definitely held that where a big social change was involved it was safer to have public opinion behind it to ensure that the law be carried out and that when a law was passed it should be carried out to finality. (Applause). AS MATTER OF DUTY.

In view of the almost general desire of members and a great proportion of the public that the licensing question be settled if possible the Bill would be again introduced during the coming session. “I think it a matter of duty on my part that Parliament should again have this opportunity of considering it.” (Applause). Mr. Coates added that, he earnestly believed that if liquor was to continue in the Dominion there was ample room for reform in the liquor trade. As for the deputation’s suggestions that the country’s youth was being demoralised, one had only to see in our schools and eompaie them with other parts of the world the bright, keen eyes, intelligent faces, and confident look of oui children to tell definitely that, far from this young nation going back it was still striding ahead.