DOMINION OPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 237, 12 November 1909, Page 3

DOMINION OPTION.

PROPOSED LICENSING LEGISLATION. 55 INSTEAD OF til) PER CENT. MAJOKiTi. LOCAL AND DOMINION POLL. By Telegraph.—Press AssociHion. Wellington, Last Night. Speaking to a 1'u.,l reporter, the Premier said the proposed Licensing Legislation provided two issues—License oi No-i/ieense. The reduction issue was to

go overboard, and fifty-five per cent, instead of 3-otli, or 00 per cent, of Die votes recorded to carry no-!icense. Provision was made for national prohibition on the following lines:—Every vote cast for no-license iu any district to count for Dominion prohibition, which shall be carried if fifty-five per cent. of the votes cast or recorded in each district for no-license, .Dominion prohibi tion, if not to take effect for five vears after the poll. Afu-r Dominion prohibition has been carried, no further vote shall be taken for three years after Dominion prohibition has been in effect. ' In future, when nolicense is curried locally it shall not take effect for two vears after the poll. Kestoration iiwv be carried by a ■» P" cent, majority. On Dominion prohibition coming into" effect, no intoxicatiiv liquors of anv kind shall be imported into, manufactured, or sold within the Dominiou, except for medical or scientific purposes.

PREMIER EXPLAINS THE PKOPOS

The Premier bin given ;i fuller stale- ] ment of the agreement tonus to re the ( licensing proposals. "The securing of eucli settlement," said Sir Joseph, "appeared in the circumstances an almost impassible task, but I asked my colleague the Minister of Justice, to see what lie could do to effect this end. For some time past the Hon. Dr. Fmdlay has been in touch with the representative* of both parties, and last week he was able, owing to reasonable concessions being made, to induce each party independently to agree to tlie following amendments' being made this year in the Licensing Act:— " (1) Ih future two issues are to be put to the people, (a) that the number of licenses' continue, and (b) that no licenses be granted in the district. The issue "that the number of licenses in the district be reduced" is not in future to be put; in other words the reduction issue is to be altogether eliminated in future polls. " (2) Fifty-five hundredths of votes recorded to carry no-liccnse. " (3) Provision to be made for national prohibition on tlie following terms: Everv vote cast for no license hi any district is to count for domuuon prohibition, and after the words in the voting .paper, ' 1 vole that no license be granted in the dis.trict,' are to be added the Words, ' tJiis Mote '.shall , also be counted for dominion prohibition.' '• (8) In future, where no-license is carried locallv it "hall not take effect for two years after the poll at whic.i it has been carried. " n Tn ciss in which no-licen* has already :.« : >arrW every vote east for nn-n-resloration shall count for national prohibition, and after the words in the voting paper. '1 vote that licenses be not restored in t.hi= district' shall be ndded the words, ' this vote shall also he counted for national prohibition.' •• (3) In future restoration may be carried in anv no-license district if liftyfi've 1.. i./--dills' of the votes recorded arc in fi.»r of restoration. " (9) I'pou dominion prohibition cornin" into effect no intoxicating liquor of sinv kind shall be imported into, manufactured or sold within the dominion, except for medical and" scientific purposes." ~ , , "These pmpovi!-." added Sir Joseph Ward "ha>-.. he-n carefully reduced to writing, and th- fullv accredited representatives „i .-..:-■:. party have imependentlv re,|iu.s|e.| me to. pass legislation embodying them this year, and each party has undertaken to do all in its power to promote the parage of this legislation. Tn case of any difference of opinion as to draughtsmanship or terms of the proposed Tiill. each partylias bound itself independently to abide absolutely by the decision of the Attor-ney-General."

PROHIBITION LEADER'S VIEWS. Duwdin, Last Night. In conv'sition will" a Time* reporter to ni"lit. :.T. A. S. Adams, well known as one ef the leaders of the No-License mov -Mir. said the main reason fo-- ■" - iears' delay in national prohibition ~s that on its' being carried the whole of the Dominion revenue derived from liquor would be struck oft*, and as the Minister of Finance would have to effect readjustment* to the extent nf £500.000 or £600,000 for a few years until tjrnew condition of affairs had had time to assert itself and revenue from increased consumption of other articles would amount to a sufficient sum to replace the revenue from liquor, it was considered fair to fix such a time limit. The concession was. lie said, valuable to the trade, because it would give brewers and licensees time to dispose of stocks and seek new investments for capital Mr. Adams said the Rill ought to provide very fully aeainst the possibility of reckless trading by licensees doling the period of suspension in the event of Xo-Liceiisc bi-iim- carried. In conclusion. Mr. Adams siioke in hign terms of praise of Dr. Findlay, who ear rifd the thing through from start to finish.