POPULAR TURN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 460, 15 September 1928, Page 13

POPULAR TURN

Six Crowded Hours In Licensing Debate

BALLOT-PAPER MYSTERY

(THE SUNS Parliamentary Reporter) AVELLINGTON, Friday. How licensing overshadows everything else that Parliament has on its programme for the sion was clearly shown last night. It may well be said that as a popular “draw” the licensing debate, with its ballot-paper mystery, featuring Mr. H. E. Holland and the Hon- A. D. McLeod, has an appeal which would turn a theatrical magnate green with envy. SO packed were tho galleries that even the messengers had to give up their chairs; and In the gallery sot apart for men of consequence—that gallery which not so long ago was adorned by the touring Auckland Rugby team —was witnessed the intriguing spectacle of Mr. Elliott Davis, the well-known Aucklander, perched on th© high-backed stool vacated for him by an obliging messenger who, for tli© moment, was observing the old, unselfish principle, “thy need is greater than mine.” SILENT MAJORITY Not the least interesting feature of th© actual discussion was tho comparative silence of the great body of no-lieenco opinion in the House. From that very “dry corner” on the left-

hand cross-benches rose few to answer tho vigorous challenges hurled at prohibitionists in the House by Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. T. M. AVilford, and Mr. F. JST. Bar tram, whose repartee at the expense of the Prime Minister delighted th© House. Again, there was a profound silence, for the most part, on the Minisetrial benches. Th© ballot-paper mystery, with its simple explanation of zealous Government officials, anxious, if they could, to get a flying start on what with every week of delay would become more difficult and expensive task, was really on© of th© Government’s own making. It could have been cleared up in the afternoon had the Minister, instead of making half-answers to his questioners, thus leaving an atmosphere of evasion behind him, waited until he had the full information at his finger-tips. With al his virtues the Minister of Lands is no strategist, and the muddle he left to be explained away in the evening was not improved when the Prime Minister made an unguarded interjection, which one must assume was simply a slip of the tongue, to the effect that “there were over a million papers printed.” SILENT BUT STRONG

Though the no-licence elements in the House were largely silent, leaving their main attack on the Prime Minister’s Bill in the capable hands of Mr. J. McCombs, there is no reason to asaume that they were any weaker or more diffident than of yore. They will undoubetdly be heard in full cry when the committee stages of the Bill are retached next Tuesday, and they will then contrive, if they can, to do exactly what they did last year, to reshape the Bill as they desire. There is a suggestion that this year th© Legislative Council, which hesitates to accept “dry” views unless there is assurance of popular demand for them, may have more compromises to offer than those which were either exhausted or left in the air last session; and this may mean that there will, afetr all, be a material result from all these harangues and heart-burn-ings.