WHAT PROHIBITIONISTS WANT.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8482, 13 May 1893, Page 4

WHAT PROHIBITIONISTS WANT.

I TO THB BDrtOR OF THE PRESS. gut,—There is one aspect of this question which is carefully avoided by prohibitionists and overlooked by their opponents. Permit mc to draw attention to it. In a recent issue of the Prohibitionist it is definitely stated that it is the aim of prohibitionists to stop the importation, manufacture, sale and consumption of all spirituous and alcoholic liquors, as far as New Zealand is concerned. As I have said, this fact is kept in the background, and the announcement in question was pumped out of them by the comments made by " Civis" upon the possibly untimely utterances of a Southern divine.. The fact, however,; remains, and is worthy of notice; it has at least changed my attitude from one of indifference to one of opposition to prohibition. To attempt to gain at once would be to try to drive a wedge thick end first, and indeed cunning suggests closing the publichouses first. Thi3 having been accomplished, we shall bear—" Is there one law for the rich and another for the poor; if one man cannot buy a nip shall another purchase two gallons; is the man with fifty shillings in his pocket to enjoy his whiskey while he with only sixpence must go without?" And so on. Such arguments as these will be more convincing and will appeal to a greater number than those at present employed by prohibitionists. Having reached their goal, I suppose prohibitionists will next direct attention to our tobacco, on the plea that a few idiotic puerilities in bell-mouthed trousers an**, high-heeled boots injure what little constitution they possess by an undue consumption of rice paper and dried cabbage leaves. They will then, no doubt, re-arrange our dietary until we are all compelled to adopt the abnormally successful scale of diet upon which Messrs Isitt, Tennyson Smith, and Co. have been reared.

In all seriousness, however, I commend this official utterance to the notice of your readers, especially those of them who have been deceived by Mr Robert Clephane's emphatic statements, that neither teetotallers nor prohibitionists wish to prevent any man from eating and drinking what be pleases. It is true that he immediately contradicts himself by arguing that no man should have the right to sell liquor, bnt he may wriggle out of this by tbe subsequent insertion of the word "retail." Let him stop the retail sale, however, and I will wager two drinks that the word sale will be found to have a wider-signification.— Yours, &c, Thin End op the Wedge.