NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1918, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE.

SETTLEMENT OF THE LIQUOR QUESTION, By Telegraph.—Prcs3 Association. Wellington, April 9The council of the New Zealand Alliance has issued a manifesto that the interests of the Dominion, and particularly the interests of the soldiers returning from the front, demand a speedy and final settlement of the liquor question. The council maintains that the time is ripe for legislative action giving immediate eil'ect by a simple majority vote to the recommendations of the National Efficiency Board for the prohibition of the manufacture, importation, or sale of liquor except for sacramental, medicinal, scientific, or industrial purposes. At last session the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward expressed the opinion that such a poll should he taken early, but if such a poll should be taken within the present year the Alliance is prepared, as an urgency measure, to consent to the proposal for a money payment to that trade on the lines of the board's recommendations.

If Parliament fails to make provision for a poll, the Alliance demands as a minimum that legislation lie passed this year giving the people the right by n ■simple majority vote to put a final end to the manufacture, importation, and sale of liquor in New Zealand, except as above stated, the vote to take full effect so that the trade shall cease and determine not later than June 30, 1919, and without any money payment. The Alliance, however, in making this statement reaffirms that the liquor trade has no right in law, equity, or morals to compensation. The Alliance has also decided to urge the Government to stop the sale of liquor at all ports of landing and at all places where troop trains stop with returned soldiers en route to their homes.