CANADIAN PROHIBITIONISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 145, 21 June 1899, Page 2

CANADIAN PROHIBITIONISTS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lf Mr Bentley wishes to gain public respect he must in his public disputations exercise those qualities he so persistently charges the prohibitionists -with the lack of, viz., truthfulness and fairness. No well-informed person supposed that the plebiscite carried legislation with it, but legislation was promised to follow it.

There is every prospect that the refusal of the Premier to carry out his promise will mean the defeat of the present Liberal party at the polls.

Considerable sensation has been caused in Canada by the charge made on the floor of Parliament by Mr Kufus Pope, one of the members for Quebec, that tho Liberal Government not only used their influence against prohibition in that province, but were £>.lso responsible for a piece of political juggling by which tho adverse vote was Increased by 40,000 votes.

The country Is deeply moved on the whole question. One petition to Parliament reminds members that very few of them received larger majorities than was cast in the various provinces in favour of prohibition.

The liquor people try to minimise the vote because it was not numerically a strong one, and conveniently overlook the fact that proportionately it was large. Take for instance Nova Scotia: 29,840 votes were cast; for prohibition 2G.111, against 3729. The liquor party did their best, and were defeated in every province except Quebec.

It is often difficult to account for the general apathy in polling, and much to be regretted. At the 187G election here, although interest was keen, out of 20,204 on the roll, only 13,031 voted in the city.

At an election in "Sew York State.where a dual vote was taken for the adoption of a new State Constitution and election of Lieutenant-Governor, 735.099 voted for the former, and 1,270,205 for the latter, showing that the personal element arouses tho most interest.

Thanks to scientific temperance teaching In the Canadian public schools ;im\ the protection of her young people up to the ago of 21 on the written demand of parents or guardians, the temperance movement is firmly rooted and grounded. Whether Canada or New Zealand will first reach the goal of national prohibition remains to be seen.—l am, etc..

R. FRENCH.