LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 230, 22 June 1908, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

A SUGGESTION. Sir, —I should like to make a suggestion with regard to a referee for tho North and South Island match. Mr. Harding, in ono of his interviews, said he would liko, to referee a match in New-Zealand. Why not-ask him to reforeo the match on Wednesday? No doubt it would provo ail attraction to have a referee from tho touring team. —I am eto., SPORT. Wellington, Juno 20. MR. FISHER AND THE MAYOR. Sir, —I notico in the Press, that Councillor Fisher has thought proper to question tho actions'of the Mayor and -Mr. T. K. Macdonald ro City affairs. I think it much out of place for him to do so, because the citizens' interests are so well looked- after by these two gentlemen, the most honest and straightforward wo have amongst us.—l am, etc., WATCHFUL. Wellington, June 20. NO-LIOENSE EN ASHBURTON. Sir, —I have been noticing tho number of reports in tho. newspapers lately about tho enthusiastic meeting held at Ashburton recently in which Messrs. T. E. Taylor and A. It. Atkinson took a prominent part. The' was said to havo been so very enthusiastic in favour of No-License as to lead one_ to believe that Ashburton seemed to be, satisfied to go on for a continuance of NoLiccnso.

Tho figures of the last poll at Ashburton are as follow:—Licenses to bo restored— Court -House, 618; Bank Chambers, 472. Licenses' to be not restored—Court House, 335; Bank Chamhors, 470. Thoso two polling booths scorn to be tho principal ones in tho township, as tho.others are mostly small figures. There are points overy day which show plainly that although a very largo number of people may go to a public meeting it is not the true opinion of thoso who havo votes. —I am, etc.," , TRAVELLER. SOCIALIST LAND TAXERS AND STATE OWNERSHIP. '.Sir, —The Single Taxers:.and Socialists, in view of the approach of the general havo been airing their well-known views with regard to land taxation and Slate ownership of all land in. tho country. . As one of the pioneers, I can well romcmber tho time when nearly all tho land in the'colony of Victoria Was owned by the State, and for ages provious to tho advent of the white men all the land belonged to tho black community :is a whole, not individually. Would our dissatisfied friends .-liko to go back to those tjmes? About the same time, nearly all, tho ljmd in South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales belonged to the different State Gqvernments, but they could do nothing with it themselves, and wisely sold it to the psoplo who could m.'Jte use of it. Tho upsot prico obtained by tho Government of was £1 per acre for.honvy bush land, which had not cost them a single penny, as tho r.urvoy fees wero paid ty the. jiurchasor, and the roads wero afterwards constructed out of local taxation. Tho Federal, Government still; owns an area of Itnd hi' the north, fivo times as large as New Zed* land. Tho sooner our dissa-tisiWd friends go thoro tho bettor for all of us.—l am, etc., ' i . ' FREEHOLD. | Wellington,- June 17. ■j —_ J LOLLIES AND MILK SHOPS. j Sir, —One of those from-' tho Homeland who was led to oxpect better .things of New -Zealand than many that obtain at Homo, I must say how much 'I am surprised at tho facts as stated by oi' in your issue of to-day re milk shops. Just fancy somq modical officer' having prohibited' milk 'teom'-boihgVsold in ' a lollie shop, or lollies in a milk shop I Why,'' sir; who~ is ho' at" all?'' Has' ho "tho big 'arm of 'tho'law Bohind hi'ftfjT ®r •is he tho law himself? When 1,/left'/,Plymouth-two years ago, several. ofi'theM-higlicst-class of milk shops, "or I should say '-' dairies," woro doing a choice high-class . business in confectionery and sweets; and<many lollie shops under'tho inspection of tho sanitary authorities sold milk, and these last -did not pay a licenso fee either, and tho former was a larger company than any of theso City ones hero. Surely it is t-imd tho little shopkoeper spoko out or. squeaked for himself, over this interference with his right to conduct his business or sell what lie ■ pleases ■ "without some doctor's certificate of his cleanliness and suitability to do same.. Somo of us shopkeepers could givo points to many others in the sanm- line.' Cleanliness is not a big point horo in. Wellington with somo of the bigger people, but enough. Lot'us ImTO tho right to sell milk undor a systematic inspection if you like, but not at tho nod of a doctor.—l am, etc.,. • „ ... , ' RIGHT. ; Wellington, June 19.

A NOTABLE FOOTBALLER. Sil 'l~; N w professionalism is an accomplished fact among.tho footballers in the i/omimon, I desire to bring'under the notico of those sports and tho New .Zealand union tho position and case of Wallace (amateur/footballor). Wallace is not at present in tho best of health, being troubled with a strained kneo, and tho muscles surrounding it, and ho has had to Icavo his work as a moulder and rost. This horo of tho amateur football field, is, I am told, playing his last season, and is indifferent in health. Is ho to bo allowed .to..return to his rest, after such a clean and honourable football career, without somo recognition of the past being given by the people of this Dominion? At the Town Hall, Sydnoy, recently, the presentation of a public .testimonial was. made to Mr. M. A. Noble, in recognition of his leadership of in regaining ."the ashes," and of the admiration felt for his prowess and many wonderful feats of skill on tho cricket field. His ' Excellency Sir Harry Rawson handed Mr. Noble two chcques (one for £2000 and one of £60),-and a costly tea service. Of these amounts, £480 came from Victoria and £63 from South Australia, such was tho response to this testimonial. Those who have mot Wallace, and know him best, agree that tho greatest attraction to many a match has boon to -witness his, abilities. What will tho Now Zealand' Rugby Union do for this wonderful player who has benefited their coffers by his attractive brilliancy on the amateur field? Something should bo.done, and let those past admirers of the amateur Rugby game seo Billy Wallace's past services recognised in a generous fashion ero his last football season terminates. Could not something be found by our Government for Wallace in the way of a change of employment? Surely one deserving member of tho " All Blacks " could be given something to do in recognition of the splendid advertisement they served to this Dominion when thoy visited tho Motherland.—l am, etc.,

E. W. ARNOLD; JUNR. Wellington,. Juno 18.' ' ALTRUISM OR HUMBUG? Sir, —Of courso I suggested no such absurdity as that the liquor sellers should vote for No-License in. order tb increase their trade. My" advice to them is that they should support continuance unless tlioy desire to loso at least ninety per cent, of their .business,, but that while doing so they should !avoid tho sensoless hypocrisy of pretending that if tho poll is carried against tliem, their business will bo increased. Tho sincerity of ■.this rubbish is sufficiently tested by the case of Ashburton, to which my previous letter referred. Tho question tliero is ono not of continuance or No-License, but of restoration or non-restoration. Tliero is neither a browcr nor a licensed victualler in Ashburton to-dny. Tho financial interests at stake are, therefore, solely thoso of tho brewers and merchants in Christchurch and other outside places-, 'and whilo these gentlemen aro putting up their money to got the NoLiconso vote reversed, their advocates' chiof Argument is that they aro sending moro liquor into Ashburton under No-Liconso than beforo. Is thoro any sano man who seriously believes that so quixotic an altruism ;has suddenly possessed these magnates of tho' trado that they are'organising a groat and costly campaign with the object of re-' ducing their own- business? Such colossal

humbug can deceive 110 one—not oven your correspondent who advances the argument with so charming an air of convinced simplicity.

In view of tho lino taken in my present argument, it is quite unnecessary for mo to deal at length with tho amazing assertion that tho increased duty paid on liquor at Invercargill conclusively proves an increased consumption of liquor in tho No-Licenso districts. An advocato so ignorant as to assume that all tho liquor landed at the Bluffmust be consumed in Invercargill is beyond the pale of serious argument. But even if tho assumption were correct, it would not impair tho contention which ho sot out to attack. If there is moro liquor consumed undor No-License than under liconso, tho liquor sellers should bo pleased.; while the Toniporanco party is pleased to sec drunkenness, crime, pauperism, and misery enormously reduced. Let both parties, therefore, unito to retain the blessings of NoLiconso in Ashburton and tho other districts where it now prevails.—l am, etc., -.A. R. ATKINSON. Juno 20. NO-LICENSE.

Sir,—Every person having a fairly accurate acquaintance with the actual facts in ' connection with tlie No-License movement in thi3 country must have perused your report of tho Vivian Street "ally" 011 Yvednosday last with feelings of indignation, not unmingled with regret. The indignation would bo aroused by the exaggeration and misrepresentation by some of tho speakers; the regret by tho spectacle of ministers of the Gospel lending themselves to such a system of misleading tho public. It is not my intention, however, to deal with moro than ono or two statements made by the veracious gentlemen who addressed tho "mass meeting" of Prohibitionists 011 Wednesday evening. It was affirmed in the most dogmatic manner that tho No-License sentiment was still very strong in all the prohibited districts, Aahbufton, for example. Now, evorybody who knows anything about tho facts, knows that at tho last.poll—tho first after the adoption of No-License—tho borough of Ashburton carried restoration by moro than tho majority—but tho country voters reduced this to a majority of only 205—but a majority for all that. This means that nearly 1000 electors had changed their views on this question. So much for a growing sentiment in favour of No-License. This is a solid fact that cannot be brushed away. ' I have boon in Ashburton—not on a visit, liko tlieso so-called temperance missioners— but for miny months,"and'l can assure you that although, perforce, there is less drunkenness in the streets, and no "shouting," there is quite as much liquor consumed as thero was in the days when the hotels wero' open. The cause is'not far to seek. Formerly, if a man got drunk, he was ndt allowed to shelter himself in the hotel—behind the licensee.■< He had to go into tho street,' whero the police generally picked him up. Now, lie., and those who supply him with liquor, know that if he should ue found in the street, ho would bo run in, and tho supplier would be hunted up. And in this connection it may bo mentioned that, whereas prior to No-License, a "drunk" used to get off with a caution or a fine of 55., now ono would be fined 205., or moro; and •by the samo magistrate. .

It is a'-solemn and incontrovertible fact that, whilo tho casual drinker, tho man who only takes a glass with a friend now and then, has been compelled to relinquish tho practice—the confirmed drunkard drinks more than ever. In fact, his oxtra libations consume at least tho equivalent quantity of liquor that used to bo disposed-of by tho oocauioual drinkers. Then, as theso keep liquor in their homes, and can got in this way; as much as thoy pleaso, it can be seen that tho increased consumption is easily accounted for. Let no 0110. bo misled by tho statistics flourished before the public as to tho liquor carried to Ashburton; ' Thoy merely accountfor what went through the railway station. It. 'is not exaggeration to say -that this hardly represents a fourth of tho quantity of liquor consumed in Ashburton under No-Licouse.

Before concluding this letter, I should liko to say why" tho action of tho Prohibition loaders in this Dominion causes indignation, as well as regret. Mr. Atkinson made a rash statement the other evening,, when ho two 'years •.aeo-.'-" ! there' were three reasens for. sl.v r grog soiling.in Ashburton: A' weak law, weak polico, and a weak magistrate." Tho actual facts aro that, whatever the law may bo, tho polico were undor a sergeant, a " red-hot" Prohibitionist, who spent most of his timo on tho railway station and in searching suspccted premises.. In fact, ■his zeal in search of :sly-grogge'rs sometimes outran his discretion, although in other respccts ho was a very worthy officer. And, as for tho magistrate, ho was, admitted by all unprejudiced men to be is just and strict as any on the bench. The local leader of tho 80-culled "Temperanco party" in Ashburton addressed a petition to tho Minister foT Justice asking for his because in a certain case, the polico, having failed to prove a sale, tho magistrate dismissed tho .information. Tho " temperanco " reformers were furious. They decided that the accused party was guilty, and that was quito enough for them. —I am, etc., VERITY. Juno o. .. .