The Daily News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1919. THE LICENSING POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1919. THE LICENSING POLL.

Under the Licensing Amendment Act, 1918, provision was made for holding a special licensing poll not later than April 30, 1919, on the proposals that national prohibition with compensation should come into force throughout the Dominion, or that license should be continued as heretofore. Part 111. of the Act also provided that, in the event of continuance being carried at the special poll,.then at the licensing poll to be taken on the day appointed for the next ensuing general election, the three issues to be submitted should be (a) national continuance, (b) national prohibition without compensation, (c) State purchase and control. Continuance having been carried at the special poll, the issues to be decided to-morrow are those mentioned in Part 111. of the Act, in which the proposal of State Control and purchase is for the first time to be put to a practical test. This suggested solution

of the liquor problem has been the subject of experiment in Britain, and its merits and demerits have been much discussed in the Dominion, The Act authorises the raising of a sum not exceeding ten million sterling for the payment of State purchase compensation, but this provision in no way limits the liability of the State if the awards of the courts exceed the figure named, so it is possible for the total cost of buying out private interests in the liquor trade to reach fifteen millions, or more, as the brewers, licensees and others interested are not likely to undervalue their interests or refrain from demanding the utmost they can from the Government. The carrying of State control would automatically vest in the Crown a monopoly in the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor, a Controller being appointed, together with such other officers as the Govern-or-General may think fit, their salaries being paid out of moneys to be appropriated by Parliament. This power of control gives the Government entire discretion as to where alcoholic liquor may be manufactured and sold, and the net profits realised are to be paid into the Consolidated Fund, but no liquor can be sold in a no-license district until local restoration -has been carried in the manner provided for by the Act of 1909. If national continuance is carried tomorrow, no questions relating to local no-license are to be submitted at any future licensing poll, the issue being national prohibition, to be carried by a bare majority, while at all subsequent polis the three issues to be decided on Wednesday are to apply until either national prohibition without compensation, or State purchase and control is carried. The position, to our mind, is very unsatisfactory, and will not secure a true expression of the people's views on this important social matter. Neither National Prohibition nor State Control can be carried unless the number of votes east in favor is an absolute majority of the whole number of votes cast. If neither of these issues receives such a majority then Continuance is carried, though only half a dozen may have voted in favor of it. It is the negation of democracy and its inherent principle of majority rule. If ever there was a case where preferential voting should be applied it is in connection with these issues, but our legislators have shied from doing their duty by the people, and there lias also been a decided avoidance of the subject by candidates during the political campaign. This is to be regretted, as the licensing question is too important a one to be brushed aside lightly. The nettle will have to be grasped and the right thing done by Parliament next session unless prohibition is carried on "Wednesday. In regard to the issues to be voted upon tomorrow, it is unlikely that the public will have anything to do with the State purchase issue. It is too much like giving a blank cheque to the State with which to pay compensation. It is unlikely the amount would be less than ten millions, and it might well be fifteen millions. To commit the country to such a payment for a monopoly that may later on be wiped right out by the vote of the public would he ridiculous in the extreme. But it is unlikely the public will be misled in this matter by the specious arguments of not disinterested parties like the Moderate League. When the amount of compensation was specified and limited to four and a-half millions, as it was last April, the public could conscientiously support it, but not an unspecified and unlimited amount as in this case. The real trial of strength will be between prohibition and continuance. Every vote given to State control will be lost to the prohibition issue. The public of New Zealand have got to look at the matters disinterestedly, not from a selfish, but from the national point of view. The country has incurred tremendous liabilities in connection with the war, and it has to discharge them. Interest and pensions will cost seven millions sterling annually, and provision will have to be made for the extinguishing of the debt. No one is so foolish as to seriously argue nowadays that the drinking habit is other than a wasteful one, or does not cause inefficiency, unhappiness and misery. It could be tolerated perhaps before the Avar, but to-day, when we must produce and save more, it is economically—to take the most material ground—impossible to do so. If the sale of liquor were abolished, the whole war debt could be borne, comfortably. This is a fact which has to be borne in mind by the taxpayer, and especially by the primary producer, who in the last instance has to meet all the taxation, which cannot otherwise be lightened. America, a hard, practical, calculating nation, has refused to compromise with liquor; it has abolished it once and for all. The necessities of the times make it incumbent on us, as a young nation struggling with a much greater per capita .debt, to do the same to-morrow,