THE TIMARU PICNIC.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXII, Issue 6486, 3 February 1905, Page 2

THE TIMARU PICNIC.

TO THE EDITOR. ■ Sm.~ I have only to-day seen your issue of January 21sfc and have read the letter of " Sympathiser " re the monster picnic held m Timaru. I happened to be on the Kailway platform when the trains arrived, and a more orderly or respectable lot of people than the Ashburton picnickers it would be difficult to find. The general impression created m Timaru was that if this is what No-License does for Ashburton, the sooner we follow m their steps the better. In regard to the alleged Bar swigging there was very little evidence of it, and those upon whom ifc was apparent were Timaru and not Ashburton folks. I asked the constable on duty at the station when the train left for his opinion and he mentioned several cases of slight drunkenness, but added " They were our own boys," and two (the most prominent) had been prohibited and will be again. When we find a good looking, well dressed crowd like that which the Ashburton picnic produced, we are led to wish that "Timaru" and the colony could be "ruined" m just the same way. If you notice the personnel of the- committee who welcomed the picnickers, you will ccc they are among our best citizens and were not composed of the " Trade '* or its Satelites'but of men of whom we feel justly proud. Your footnote to " Sympathiser's " letter is very apt. To show the great desire there is m Timaru for prohibition I may mention that the managing director of the Timaru Brewery (Mr John Hole) recently applied for a prohibition order against a neighbour of his.; Why, forsooth ? Because whsn under the influence of drink he was a nuisance to his neighbours. Mr Hole lives m a nice little suburb, some three and a half miles away fmm the nearest Puty • and does not like the efivct oi! his trade being manifest even m one individual when that individual lives m close proxmity tohis own residence. Well, there are plenty more of us who like the result of the trad© just as little as does the manager of the Timaru Brewery, and like him, we are going to use every legitimate means m our power to remove this nuisance from, our Electorate, and we trust to join hands with Ashbuvton at the next election and have No-License m Timaru. Then we *hall probably be able to afford as a community a day's holiday, and come to your clean little town, and spend a day m your beautiful Domain. -1 am, etc. m Appreciatqb. Timaru, Feb. 2, 19C5.