THE LICENSING QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1918, Page 5

THE LICENSING QUESTION.

LABOR PARTY ASKS TO BE HEARD. GENERAL ELECTION EDMANDED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The Hon. J. T. Paul, national president of the New Zealand Labor Party, states that the Labor Party has deter- : mined to ask the electors to pronounce '. against further delay regarding a general election which carried a poll on the licensing question. The national executive of the party is in serious disagreement with the rival petitions on the licensing question now before the electors. It contends the petition asking for prohibition with compensation is a limitation of democratic rights, as a considerable body of electors desire to vote on other issues. The second petition, asking for a poll oil three issues, 13 regarded as an interference with democratic rights, because it will prevent an expression of tho people's will on this important question. The Labor Party demands the settlement of the liquor '. question on democratic principles. The party lias decided to issue peti- ' tions, one demanding & general election . early next year, and the other demand- . ing a poll on the liquor question on four issues, as follow: — j (11 National Continuance. hj) Immediate National Prohibition, with compensation. (3) Immediate National Prohibition, without compensation, (4) National Ownership. The party further demand that these ] issues be decided by preferential vot- ' ing, using the single transferable vote. ,