The Licensing Question.

Referring to the licensing question, he said that New town would suffer if he addressed an audience there without referring to that reputation for which she was famed. (Laughter and applause.) He would briefly deal with the licensing question, and he would tell them at once that there would be a licensing Bill introduced next session (applause)—and in the interests of the well-being of the people of this colony—of the trade, no-license persons, those who were termed "moderates" and the people generally—he said, Let the Legislators of this country go into this matter carefully, and place upon the statute-book legislation that would remove the defects in the existing law, and ensure effect being given to the will of the people. (Applause.) Now, as they knew, he generally spoke plainly. It was much better to be plain Words were not, according to his conviction, given to conceal one's thoughts. He would like to ask this question: Was it only once and for the first time on the occasion of the last general election that the licensing poll had been voided? The answer must be, Certainly not. In the year 1899 there were the cases of Oamaru and Bruce, Those elections were voided; and now he asked this question, What was done prior to last session in the way of stopping that leak in our liquor legislation? Nothing at all. And now he asked this question, Was this only reserved for the Government.? Take each and every member who represented the no-license interest in the House—was there anything to prevent them from introducing an amendment to the Regulation of Local Elections Act, or the Electoral Act, or the Licensing Act? Certainly not. They would have been within their rights in doing so; and if this were such a burning question, and fraught with such vast importance, then he asked, Why had they not done this'? He asked why, in Bills which they had introduced, they had not made any provision for voided polls? All the blame now was cast upon the Government This was one of the questions that somehow or other all parties liked to keep as far from them as possible, but public feeling had been excited, and in the interests of the country it was necessary to stop the leak, and make provision for having the will of the people given effect to. (Applause.) "We must see," said Mr Seddon, "that there is no tampering, or possibility of tampering with ballot papers—(applause)—and we must also take care that people who take ballot papers out of the booth or had them in their possession will not do it again," (Laughter and applause.) It was only experience that taught us and pointed out to us where legislative action was necessary. He believed further that technicalities, where the result itself would not be affected, should not be a ground of voiding an election. In other words, we must bring our licensing polls somewhat in a line with the elections under the Electoral Act—(hear, hear)—and this done he believed they would have removed one of the troubles that affected the legislators. His name, rightly or wrongly, had been connected with what at the time was considered the most advanced liquor legislation ever placed upon the statute-book. Of course, there was a good deal of ingratitude in human nature, and to-day he did not enjoy that good opinion in certain quarters that he once possessed. (Laughter). All the same, it would come right. It did not trouble him, so long as the outcome was that which was just and right, and consonant with the desires of the great majority of the people of this country. He was not going into the question in detail, as far as our licensing law or the Bill was concerned. He would probably be brought to task were he to do so. He had told them that an honest attempt would be made to make our law just and consonant with the desires of the majority of the people. In looking over a Bill introduced by Mr Taylor, he found a clause almost parallel with clause 9 of the Bill that he bad introduced last session. (Laughter). Where there was an honest change of opinion page 5 and altered conditions, he honestly believed, and so did his colleagues, that to prohibit and prevent the free use of alcohol was considered in the best interests of the people. That was what he honestly believed, and that the will of the people should be given effect to in that respect. He had since been told that that was unnecessary. He had also been told that such a change would come in due course, and that in the meantime it could stand aside. Well, he desired to tell them that it would be a question for the majority of the members of the House to decide, having due regard for their responsibilities. He only mentioned the matter to show that there were others as well as himself who had come to the same conclusions respecting this matter, and he was pleased to say that in Auckland those known as the "Crusaders" still stood by and were consistent with that which they had advocated for many years past.