LICENSING QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 186, 28 July 1908, Page 2

LICENSING QUESTION.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. jj Wellington, Last Night. j A deputation from the -New Zealand v Alliance waited on the Premier to-day. I j. The doputation asked for legislation se- „ curing that licensing polls be decided e by bare majority. They also wanted ] Dominion option, breweries to come 0 under the popular vote, abolition of bottle licensos, licensing polls to he taken whether there is a Parliamentary contest or not,- the teaching of temperance in public schools, abolition of licenses to I steamers controlled by the Tourist De- , partmont, and stricter punishment of , sly grog-sellers. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said no licensing legislation would be introduced this session, for the obvious reason that he was quite certain he could not get it through. Numberless amendments would bo asked for in other directions in the event of a Licensing Bill being brought | down, and it would be hopeless to try to get it through. As to the bare majority, he thought they ought first to be unanimous on the subject. He had already had very strong representations on the subject from the people who were on the side of the ■temperance reformers, and yet who were strongly opposed lo it. In regard to the request for a Dominion vote, ho could not express an opinion at the moment. It was a very important matter, and it could not come before Parliament, in any case, this session. Referring to beer'depots, he sa A something should certainly be done to prevent what had happened in the case ' of Invercargill. lie was prepared to eon--1 sider what would be the best course to 1 adopt, but could not say that the ueces- ' sary steps could be taken this session. 1 In regard to bottle licenses, his own opinion was that Parliament intended, when no-liconse was carried, that bottle licenses should cease to exist. Anything the Government could do to remedy the present condition of things would be done. Temperance toaching in schools ought to be carried out. That was all : he could say about it. The provision n- ' garding a poll of half the voters he 1 would like to see. abolished. It was ori- ■' ginally embodied in the Act to ensure a f sufficiently strong vote on what was od- " mittedlv a very big and important quesI Hon.- In regard to sly grog-selling, the k law ought to be mode, effective where no- * license was carried. The intention was - 1 that liquor should not be sold, and the '> intentions of the people should be earII ried out absolutely. Apparently fim.s 3 were not effective, and he was quite prepared to ask bis colleagues if they would go any- further. As to tourist licenses, he, fully sympathised with the sentimental side of their request that the Government should not have licensed in--11 stitutions cither in the shape of steamer ■ or tourist licenses, but if they did :i/t ' carry no-license in those districts th",v a would have to do what ho was strong'y V opposed to doing: on the Wakatipn " steamers, for instance, allow people to e take liquor on board in any quantity j and consume it there.