The Liquor Law.

Te Aroha News, Volume XVII, Issue 22693, 6 August 1903, Page 2

The Liquor Law.

TEMPERANCE MEETING. .A, ;■ ; PREMIERS’,ATTITUDE CON- * DEMNED. "Wellington, Tuesday. A largely attended meeting of temper ance sympathisers! last evening was addressed by Messrs, Taylor and Bedford, M.H.R.’s, and others, and passed a resolution condemning the attitude of the Premier at the publicans’ deputation on the question of compensation, substitution of magistrates for elective licensing committees, etc. Mr. Tom Taylor declared the licensed victualler’s deputation was an imperti nent and selfish;one, deserving no consideration whatever. They stood as big a chance of getting the poll extended to nine years as they had of geiting to heaven.'The Premier’s suggestion of a six.yeajrs’ interval between poll was utterly illogical. They might take it from him that there was enough power to prevent Parliament giving any consideration to the liquor p a rty. As to the N°'^ i o-nn Tmt<->ls ) they had undoub fr>l <?-. • • tr.de’

down, and they w-r .„• - Keep it there. It had been done. fair and square by a three-fifths majority, and why should they be called on to grant a second; poll. He proposed a resolution declaring ‘‘That the Premier’s condemnation of the Dunedin Licens ing Committee, in seeking to exercise its utmost power to secure well-con ducted houses, w«is unwarrantable, and that his condemnation of the Wellington Committee for adjourning their decision, in order to obtain full information as to their power to deal with evasions of the Act, was absolutely unjustifiable, calculated to bring the committee into contempt, and eneourngo lawless traffic in its defiance of public opinion/’ Mr. Taylor addod that ever since 1881,. when the princi pal Licensing Act was passed, the liquor traffic had.practically controlled the licensing committees of the colony. On Mr. Laurerison’s motion, the meeting heartily; .congratulated the Nowtown district oq the vindication of its position by rhe.Full Court, and expressed a hope that no later proceedings will give effect to the ‘ trade’s ’ endeavours to render void the determination of the people’. Speaking to the motion the, member for Lyttelton said his own opinion on, "the liquor question was itbaj a bare majority should rule, bup. here, while the question had boon determined byathreeg" u majority,' every effort possiblo was*being j r H n COllnter to tho will of the people. .Jj , On Mr motion, seconuuC by Mr Isitfc, it was| decidod that the Premiers proposal jo grant compensation at the oxpirafipq of lioenso laws unjust and unjustifiable.