THE LIQUOR QUESTION

TRADE MANIFESTO. ■ BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL. At a meeting of tho National Trade Council of New Zealand yesterday morning, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :— "Since the outbreak of the war all branches of the Trade throughout tho Dominion have not only abated their organising operations, but have donated their moneys to Patriotic Funds, and in various ways shown that the Trade lias placed the Empire's interests' before its own, and this council regrets l that it is again compelled by tho Prohibition agitators to defend its property and. interests. AVhilo deploring that' all its interests, some £15,000,000 to t.20,000,000,. in industrial concerns, investments, and should be subjected to menace and destruction every three years, tho Trade has to rely upon the fair-minded instincts of the electors at such times not to injure or destroy, their neighbours' properties by voting K>r Prohibition. Being patriotic, the lrade_ considers it would be courting financial disaster , throughout tho Dominion to_ invite the electors to vote by S0 doin g at least ±.1,000,000 sterling annually would be lost to the general revenue of the country. This council therefore re-' 6olvea:— . . , ■ ' ■ theXt 1 * iS J^/? 1 ' 01110 allege'that n t% ll contTi '>ntes one million sterling to the revenue and employs many thousands of industrious citizens. J i. Iliat viewing the physique of the troops when leaving for the front, to say the Trade causes "physical inefficiency" nmong the young manhood of the nation is a wild fabrication and a cross libel upon yonng New Zealanders. 6. I hat this Council deplores that it should be suggested by Prohibitionists tliat tms country's expenditure upon alcoholic .liquors should be treated as ecoi.omie waste or affecting tho courage physique, and patriotism of out sSldiers, tor as a people New Zealanders consume only one-third .-of the .alcoholic beverages °"i'i i les S le BeI S' aH s consume, and who will deny they aw a magnificently brave, Patriotic,.Md capable nation? ' 4. That Hie physical efficiency of tho young: people of the Dominion 'is witness to their high moral qualities, and that the worst forms of immorality are not to m .found among the normal and moderate users, of alcoholic beverages, but among the abnormal, which are as frequently found in Prohibitionists* ranks and among No-License advocates. ■5. ihafc Prohibition has done, nothing to promote .temperance habits among the intemperate; and that during the time of its agitation drunkenness has ■ increased, due we-believe to the deteraflnation of vhs pooplo not to tolerate coerwion in any fo ™ from any section of the oommunity. b. While holding that no majority has any right to decide for a. Minority in matters of eating or drinking:, we. desire to.commend the action of-Pf.rliament in not throwing to the dogs, sq.to spoak, the people's liberties, the country's revenue, nnd the property and bu-iinesses of the Trade. A simple majority oi , voters having nothing to lose has no right to determine such vast interests , . . 7. We consider that a Section of the people should not be enahiioged at this juncture of oujr Empire's/ existence to jeopardise the interests of; any class; nor should Prohibitionists be iallowed to menace the credit and reven'fl/; of tho Dominion at a time- when these ishould be soundly maintained. •' . . ■ •.• 8. That as the Prohibition people are avowedly more concerned for political power than the country''j welfare, wo appeal to all fair-minded 'electors, whatever their predilections otherwise may be, not -to hand over the keeping of the Dominion's affairs to such ty wanton and irresponsible party as pie Prohibitionists have nroved'tneinsehje/i to be. 9. This. Council-dirtftts attention to the fact that only in tw(v,out of twelve' "dry" ■electorates iclid the "so-License vote reach. tho majority requirti to carry No-Licensb in, 1911; that is to, tsay, that in ten NoLicense districts .me . policy of Prohibi- , tipnists- could not [have been, carried had .the. vota been an .Originating one at the last election,- tires showing that after trial of No-Licenrse tho inclination of the people in No-Liciijjse districts is to return to licensing; This council, /'while' openly declaring that the Trade a trade has no politics, is hopeful that,"'its friends' and supporters will not (£fißourage"by their votes the return of -Candidates to Parliament who'are, ready to place Prohibition first and tho 'industrial, commercial, financialj and eoc'/sti interests of the Dominion nowhere.. Alnd this council is moro concerned for the country's than its Wn interosts wtjjn it says that the return of such candidates to Parliament would be a calaaaHy, far-reaching, disastrous, and iniquit/jus, to New Zealand. PROKU3ITION AND POLITICS MODERATE LEAGUE MANIFESTO. a jaieeting of the Executive of the New Zealand Moderate League, held yesterdl ty, the declaration of the New Zealand Prohibition Allianco was broujTß 6 under the notice of members, and ftie following resolution was carried for jyublication:— "That in view of tha' misleading de-' claj/ation of the New Zealand Alliance the folWirinsf facts bo nip.jc known to the pufjfic That imnwdiately the British Empi'.n? become involved in (lie war the' J(I oderate League meetings all its arrancefor public meetings throughout the I'tominion, nnd had since used every enclpttvo'iir to avert internal strife by male'P;; strong public representations for the postponement of the general elections. /Chat, in contrast to this action, the ProJiiibitionists, in the 'early stages of the /aational crisis, declared for 'no cessation rof warfare .against strong drink,' and have proceeded with . their lectures, meetings, and Mkction of candidates for Parliament, regardless of the internal bitterness and dissension they wore stirring up at a time when patriotism and unity were regarded as paramount by every other organisation in,ho Dominion. That the Prohibitionists -have also openly claimed that their campaign is of greater importance than the war in which the-British 13mpiro is at present engaged. That as the Now Zealand Alliance has called upon all its supporters to subordinate every other issue to that of Prohibition at the forthcoming Parliamentary elections, and to secure the return to Parliament of those candidates only who arc pledged to carry out their extreme demands,' the general public aro warned of the danger attaohinf; to this action, and are urged to .take active steps to prevent the Legislature from bsing dominated by an organisation whoso only claim to public notice and whoso only policy lies in "a persistent attempt to place exaggerated, tyrannical, aud impracticable legislative restrictions upon the social habits of the people.