LIQUOR ON THE RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1919, Page 5

LIQUOR ON THE RAILWAYS.

■ WHY IT IS REGARDED AS "ESSENTIAL." By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanangui, Last, Night. The Wanganui Chamber of Commerce has received a reply from the Minister of Railway as an outcome of the question whether liquor was regarded in the essential class during the restricted railway service. "In my opinion it cannot be treated in the same way as other goods, essential or non-essential," states the Hon. W. H. Herries. "The carriage of liquor, is so intimately connected with the licensing question and licensing law that it must be placed on a different footing (o other goods. I cannot, on behalf of the Railway Department, take upon the responsibility of an action enforcing prohibition in country districts with a further possibility of licenser, forfeiting their licenses for not supplying that which they obtained their licenses for at the Inst licensing poll. The people decided that licenses are to be continued, and it is not for the Railway Department to do anything that might possibly militate against that determination. Meanwhile instructions have been issued to limit as far as possible the consignment of liquor to only absolutely necessary cases.'' The Minister added that Cabinet had not come to any decision in the matter.