A NUT FOR REV. HAMMOND TO CRACK.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15110, 28 October 1914, Page 4

A NUT FOR REV. HAMMOND TO CRACK.

SCO THE EDITOR OF "iHB PRESS."

fcfa, —1 wish to thank Mr Gordon for the courteous reierenco to myself, and to assure him that a candle box is a raoro self-respecting rostrum than a beer barrel, and also for the opportunity his f nut," as stated in your issue of to-day, gives mc to exposo the unfairness of his.argument. 'No-license was carried in Aehburton lin 1902 by a majority of 101 over the I three-fifths majority. At this poll the i large club in the town with.a liquor I licenso was not affected, and it is rea- | fionable to suppose many of them voted for No-license because it gave the club an absolute monopoly, and drinking men who hated No-lieenso saw that for them it had a local advantage. In the year 1906, by an alteration of the electoral boundary, Geraldine, Orari, Rangitata, with 5 hotels, were included in the Ashburton No-license electorate. This gavo the liquor folk a big pull, but they failed to win back license, and their failure cost them 5 bans. .* In-1003 they failed again, being 347 votes short. In 1911 another big effort was made, hope being inspired in the liquor stomach (liquor folks haven't got hearts) by a~ further alteration of tha 'boundary. But they lost by:355 on lliis occasion. This result was due to tlio improvement in the ( vote in the township of Asbburtou, In the 5 poll in c booths in the town and 6tiburb« in 1908 rfii+orstion T'ff*'. a majority of 23J j in 1911 it had fallen to 78. Mr Nordon should not speak of my meetincs, of which ho knows nothiug. I have repeatedly explained tlieeo figures at my meetings, and they have never fpi'erl to convince fy niHieir.p* , that No-lirpnso has not bod a fair deal, n t t"p •"•"ti in which, the vote vyat* token iv 191 only one-tblrd ofr +ii original voters, and that .tho liquor 'ok a.ro "tiM knocking- in vain at tbo door of v<i.H(.<,ni:e nr o,, !—Von-«. etc., ROBERT B. S R^njnvT). Candle Box Orator. (PCIII.ISUKJ) ny A"«*VGF.UEXT.)