MR ISITT AND DR. ADENEY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15017, 11 July 1914, Page 11

MR ISITT AND DR. ADENEY.

to th- Enrroß or ' ___ press." Sir,—-A paragraph taken from the "Christian World" of May 21st, giving the Rev. Dr. Adeney's impression of my views on the prohibition question, as gathered from a conversation he' had with mc When visiting New Zoaland, appears in your yesterday - issue. I can only say that tbo Rev. Doctor has signally mistaken my position in tho matter. I have no recollection of tho conversation, and can only surmise tho grounds of tho mistake.

I am, and for many years havo been, of the opinion that in the initiation of tho movement we made a great mistake in not limiting our demand to the reduction, or total suppression of, «_U retail drinking bars by the vote of the people. I think this, not because I do not rooogniso that tho total prohibitibn of the trado is, the only efficient remedy for tho drink evil, but because I bclievo wo could havo carried tbe peoplo with 'us in the suppression of tho retail bar, and that done, tbe trado and the drink habit would have been so weakened by this time as to render its extinction eas-y. 1 need hardly say to New Zoalandcrs, in view of my unvarying platform utterances, that I am as convinced as over that tho prohibition of the liquor traffic in New Zealand would destroy, not develop homo and secret drinking, arid would do more substantial good in the Dominion than can be dono by any other method that is within practical reach. —Yours, etc., LEONARD M. ISITT. July Bth.