THE LIQUOR LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1922, Page 12

THE LIQUOR LAWS.

PROVISION FOR FUTURE. ANOMALIES TO BE FACED. Licensing legislation is not expected during the edming'sesion of Parliament, but the licensing question is sure to come before members. The committee appointed by the House of Representatives to investigate, the licensing lawe of the Dominion will make its report, and presumably there will be an opportunity for discussion. The report is expected to deal with the control of the trade and also with the broader question of the difficulties arising from- the uncertainties of the recurring prohibition polls. The Prime Minister has expressed tne opinion that if prohibition is not carried at the referendum to be taken in December next the whole question of the licensing law will have to be faced by Parliament. It is being taken for granted by 1 all parties that the next poll will be taken under the legislation of 1918, which provided the three-issue ballot paper. This paper was used first in December, 1919, when the voting was as follows:—For national continuance, 2111,251; for State purchase and control, 32^61; for national prohibition,. 270,250. Prohibition was 1631 votes short of an absolute majority of the votes cast, no issue was carried, and under the provisions, of the Act continuance was deemed to be carried. If prohibition should be carried in December there will be no need for an amendment of the legislation. . Tlix committee may suggest that if it is not carried some alteration shall be made in the law with the object of preventing the improvement of licensed houses being blocked by the uncertainty of the tenure. Some members of the committee feel strongly on this point. They have pointed" out that the reasonable needs of the New Zealand public in the matter of hotel accommodation are not being met under present conditions. The proportion of licensed houses to population has declined steadily in recent years. The average number of persons to a licensed house in 1910 was 73*2. It had risen in 1921 to 1062, and it must continue to rise under present conditions, because the number of licenses is fixed while the population is growing. The committee probably will report against the tied house system. It may deal with the question of the distribution of licenses. The present distribution is based upon the population needs of a far distant past, with the result that extraordinary anomalies exist. Then there is the question of license fees. These fees at present are on* a flat scale, with the result that an important hotel in the heart of a city pays the same fee as a small hotel in a borough or town district.