LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 236, 29 June 1908, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NO-LICENSE. Sir, —As one of the "ministers" over whoso degeneracy your correspondent "Verity" weeps becauso they lend themselves to "misleading statements" ccuceniing tho effect of NoLicenso, kindly allow mo to say a few words. Tho strength of tho witness in favour of No-License from the districts that have adopted it is by nothing moro clearly demonstrated than by tho desperate attempts of tho liquor party to disparage it. Those districts are not far away; they are personally known to nearly all tho ministers referred to by "Verity," who also know tho persons now residing there whose fairness and voracity can most bo relied upon. Who "Verity" is and what is tho worth of his testimony your readers have no opportunity of knowing, as his modesty blushes behind the voil of anonymity. But as ho has attacked the ministers in Wellington who adrocato No-Licenso he must be told plainly that they arc not in tho habit of acecpting evidenco from doubtful sources, but can cito testimony that no honest man will dare dispute in favour of the remarkable success of No-Licenso wherever it has been fairly tried. "Verity's" statements concerning tho increasing amount of liquor consumed in Ashburton under No-Liconse aro simply ridiculed by tho witnesses on tho spot who aro best able to judge, and whoso word is most worthy of acceptance. And "Verity," lilto tho rest who argue in tho same line, has yet -o. g'vo a reply to tho question, "If NoLiceuse really means an increased consumption of liquor, for what earthly reason aro tho brewers their thousands in opposing it?"—l am, etc., T no -,n„o w - J - WILLIAMS. Juno 23, 1903. _ Sir,—l have read with interest the letter m to-day s issue of The Dominion undeV tho heading "No-License," and signed "Verity." lho calm, logical reasoning and indignation and regret, evidently in tho writer's iriind, must provo very helpful in convincing thoso who aro hesitating between these awful ministers of tho GospeP and the liquor sellors and makers so ably represented by • j n t?' 'k'' ie "Verity," lam no stranger in Ashburton, only I happen to live there, instead of sojourning for a " few months " as •"Verity" did. I am a somewhat large employer of labour —ono of the largest ,in the district—and' I was there before No-License, and know some-' thing of tho condition of things there.- I may say_l am not a member of any temperance or No-Licenso body, and liavo never attended anj T meetings of the No-Licenso leaders or party. But before dealing with " Verity's " statements, let me deal with his mis-state-ments, and in consecutive order. Ho says.v ■" Everybody knows that at tho last poll the borough of Ashburton carried restoration by more than tho three-fifths majority; but the country voters reduced this to. a majority of 205." I reply: Tho country voters drove into Ashburton in hundreds to record their votes. The polling booths were open to town and country alike. I saw theso country votors driving, to town and voting. Ho says: "Thero is quite as much liquor consumed as in tho days when the hotels wei'o open." I reply: This is a deliberate assumption, which cannot bo substantiated; but when I walk along our. principal street Saturday nights I see our young men quietly talking to their frionds", all sober and respectable. Wore any Ashburton man to tell mo this second mis-statement I would call it by a word of ono syllable. Ho says: "A drunk (under' license) got off with a caution or was fined ss. Now ho would bo fined 205., and by the samo Magisr trato." I reply: (a) Tho difference in lino is another 'assumption;. (b)' the Magistrate is not tho same wo had under License. Ho says: " The mail who only takes a glass with a friend . . . has been compelled to relinquish tho practice." I reply: If, as "Verity" says, there is now more liquor consumed tliau ever, what hinders friends drinking? . , -

Ho says: " The drunkard drinks moro than over." I reply : This assertion is contrary to fact. I knoiv men who were given to taking too much, who aro now quite sober, and wo have not tho drunkards in our streets wo used to have.

Ho says: " Tliey (tho statistics) merely account for what went through tho railway station; it is no exaggeration to say that this hardly represents one-fourth of tho liquor consunled in Ashburton."-

I reply: This is a manifest "Verity." We are far from-any large town, and to solid liquor to Ashburton without giving notice to tho police is—l am informed—an offenco against tho law. Should 75 per cent, moro liquor be smuggled into the town than comea por rail openly, the police would have a nice easy job to'find tho "groggers" and importers.

"Verity" snys: "There is less drunkenness on tho streets." * ' That is the only ona statement' mado that I could honestly affirm is true. It would have taken 1000 more rotes for restoration to have carried it against tho 2400 who voted No-License last election.—l am, etc., ASHBURTON.

NO-LICENSE IN PRACTICE. Sir, —Just one word ' in reply to letter signed "Vority" in this morning's Dominion, which says "While the casual drinker, tho man who only takes 9 glass with a l'riend now and then, has been compelled to relinquish tho practice, tho confirmed drunkard drinks moro than ever." This is equivalent to saying that tho manufacture of drunkards ceases with the abolition of the open bar, and spells tho solution of the liquor evil in ono generation. I therefore submit to your readers that even if we admitted every other statomont which "Verity" and his "probeer" brothers make—by virtue of the axiom that prevention is better than cure, and tho saving of our young men and women, from' ruin is a nobler work even than reforming the drunkard, and certainly much surer— I submit that this in itself is sufficient reason why every intelligent Voter, who has got no "stake" in the "trade," should oust the open bar system at next election by "striking out tho top line."—l am, etc., „ 1 THOS. TOWNSEND. Potono, Juno 22.