DRY DISTRICTS DRUNKS.

Masterton's No-license . Testimony. Three Prohibition Orders Granted ma Week. The Home of Hypocrisy. Ime wonderful and striking efficacy of "No I '-: license m Masterton is still daily receiving conclusive indorseI mferct (we don't think). Since the adj.vent of the district into the fold of j "No".- license, and its unbecoming enI'try Into- the land of Wowserdom — a paradise promised, but which does not exist, and never will materialise— a considerable amount of .undetected crime has manifested and still manifests itself. Such crime was never apparent. when licensed houses existed. Now . '." . • • . , . . ■ *= ' . ' v HYPOCRISY, DECEIT, LYING, AND • N iPERJURY are daily practised, while greater quan•tities of beer and whisky are sold than m the days of the open bar. Young fellows, the sons of "highly-respected" citizens, who were- once content to openly visit hotels, have now been forced by circumstances and by the lack pf something better to do, to club together and procure large supplies from Carterton, and local "droppers" (who do a thriving business unmolested and undetected), adjourn to a selected locality, and there "bog m" to their hearts' content, and physical ruin and destruction. , To so state the case is noy invention. Absence from work frequently follows these jamborees, and, of course, the lying and deceit follow m the subsequent explanations that are tendered by the unfortunate delinquents. This, is absolutely tho most outstanding, objectionable, and degrading phase of the whole rotten and demoralising business forced on the community, by the lying, wobbling Wowser , and the FANCIFUL, FRENZIED FANATICS, m" the cause of unsuccessful "No"M cense. Then, again, it is no uncommon sight to see a business man, when visiting another business colleague, draw forth a bottle of whisky from his hip or inside pocket,* and intersperse "ostensible" business with a nip or two. 'It's a sort orfreemosonry w*ich exists amongst some of the businessmen m Masterton. Of course, the next day the man "treated" the previous day arms himself with a similar bottle, and proceeds to "transact. business" with his friend who called yesterday, and leaves word that he will be back m a few minutesV Your representative hastens to explain that he does, not mean to insinuate that any "NO"---license workers are numbered amongst ■these naughty, unrighteous and unholy business men. Oh, dear, no ! It would be wicked, and, of -course, m absolute conflict with their treasured beliefs and sacred Ideals. Some of the "droppers" (that is, men who undertake .the risk of illegally importing and selling liquor and spirits) are colloquially GETTING THEIR LOAD ON m Masterton, and one young man was instanced to the writer as having now retired "from the game," after having bought a section, built a nice, comfort- ' able house, and furnished it as the result of two or three years' profit proceeds from the illicit dealing m liquor. Fact! Of course, he dealt exclusively with the "naice" people, don'tyerknow ! Tendered his accounts m real businesslike manner every month, and received his cheque m due course with the usual 5 per cent, remissions if paid "before the 10th of the month!" "He was one of those young fellows who staunchly- advocated 'No'-l-ksense," said my informant, m referring to the above-quoted diplomat, "and as soon as that result was achieved he told me he considered himself a made man, and by Jove he's right," enthusiastically declared my reliable but unsuspecting informant. That Masterton's "No"-ll-cense is a failure^ — a most convincing failure — there is not the slightest doubt, and only last week no less than three prohibition orders were issued against local residents, which fact m itself proves beyond all reasonable capacity •that there is more soild, systematic, and "silent" sossolllng going on now than ever before Vn the history of the district. Now, brethren, Sankey's, hymn 100 : "Hallelujah!"