LIQUOR TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1922, Page 5

LIQUOR TRADE.

CONTROL OF LICENSES. PROPOSALS BEFORE THE HOUSE. A BILL "KILLED.” By Telegraph.—Press AssoeJatlon. Wellington, Last Night. The second reading of the State Control of Licenses Bill was moved in the House to-night by Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau). He denied that our drink bill was £9,000,000, or even £7,500,000, as had been stated by prohibitionists; it was not more than £5,000,000. Until America dealt fairly with Britain in connection with our war debts he resented the invasion of American adventurers, who came to preach prohibition to us. He dealt with the financial aspect of the question, claiming it involved something like £3,000,000, which would have to be made good. There were the workers in the trade to be considered, as well as the interests of the farmers who grew ibarley and hops. He advocated the changes proposed by the Licensing Committee as the best means of reforming the trade in the event of prohibition not being carried. ( Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) said the Bill could not be treated seriously, as it contained many clauses which were perfectly impossible, and it was quite absurd to expect, as the Bill expected, that the trade would reform itself. Mr. Massey said that at a later stage he would have to raise the question x>f the Bill being an appropriation Bill. He believed it was such and he would ask the Speaker to rule on the point. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) defended his previous statement that the drink bill of the country amounted to £9,000,000, and he ridiculed some of the calculations put forward by Mr. McCallum. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) congratulated Mr. McCallum on the introduction of the Bill, but it would be more to the purpose if the Government had tried to put the recommendations of the Licensing Committee into law. Two of the greatest evils this country' had to face was extreme Labor and prohibition. Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato), in the course of a brief speech, questioned several members representing no-license districts whether their people were satisfied with it, and in each case received a reply in the affirmative. Dealing with the revenue question, he quoted the latest figures supplied by the Controller of Customs, which showed that the revenue received by the Dominion from liquor was £1,359,856. To this had to be added licensing fees paid to local bodies amounting to £45,000, so that the total annual revenue involved was £1,404,856, and was not £3,000,000, as had been stated by Mr. McCallum.

Mr. McCallum replied and the Bill was read a second time, but it was ruled out by the Speaker on the ground that it was an appropriation Bill.