A NUT FOR REV. HAMMOND TO CRACK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 226, 28 October 1914, Page 9

A NUT FOR REV. HAMMOND TO CRACK.

I wish to thank Mr Nordon ior the courteous reference to myself, and to assure him that a candle box is a more self-respecting rostrum than a beer barrel, and also for the opportunity his "nut," as stated in your issue of to-day, gives nie to expose the unfairness of his argument. No-license was carried in Ashburton in 1902 by a majority of 101 over the majority. At this poll the large club in the town, with a liquor j license was not affected, and it is reasonable to' suppose many of them voted I for No-license because it gave the club an absolute monopoly, and drinking men who hated No-license saw that for them it had a local advantage. In the year 1906, by an alteration of the electoral boundary, Geraldine, Orari, and Rangitata, with five' hotels, were included in the Ashburton No-license electorate. This gave the liquor folk a big pull,, but they failed to win back License, and their failure cost them five bars. In 1908 they failed again, being 347 votes short." In 1911 another big effort was made, hope being' inspired in the liquor stomach (liquor folks haven't gat hearts) by a further alteration of the boundary. But they lost by 355 this occasion. This result was due to the improvement in the vote in the township of Ashburton. In the five polling booths in the town and suburbs in 1908, Restoration had a majority of 231,• in 1911 it had fallen to 78. Mr Nordon should not speak of my meetings, of which he knows nothing. I have repeatedly explained these figures at my meetings, and they have never failed to convince my audiences that No-license has not had a fair deal, that the area in which the vote was taken in 1911 contains only one-third of the original voters, and that the liquor folk are still knocking in vain at the door of No-license areas. —I am, etc., ROBERT B. S. HAMMOND, .72 Candle Box Orator. Published by arrangement.