"BETRAYAL OF THEIR TRUST."

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 134, 7 June 1906, Page 5

"BETRAYAL OF THEIR TRUST."

TO THE EBITOBt Sir, — Under the above heading, in your article of last evening you said, amongst other things, m reference to tha rebuild.ing of hotels in the citly, that "The Prohibition Committee found a conflict between their Prohibition bias and tho public interest,' " and unfortunately allowed the former to prevail." Allow" us to say that the " comnxittes on Tuesday last, in dealjng witGi tnis matter, were guided absolutely by tne inspector's report, which did not in any cose call for extreme measures. The committee carried out tme came policy as their predecessors, which was to compel licensees to conform to the law. Any declaration of intentions that -was made at the meeting od Tuesday related solely to the procedure at that meeting in view of ' the inspector's report then befpre jli. ' The committee reserve absolute freedom to act with the utmost stringency with regard to any changed conditions of affairs tnat may be disclosed in a subsequent *eport, and, as two members of the lato committee,, we have the best of authority- for saying that nothing that we have done, or intend to do, represent** any variation from the policy of our predecessor.*. In proof of our statement, we quote the following extract from the declaration read b,v the elected members of the old committee at their first meeting on Bth June, 19U3 : —"We aro auxious not to impose on owners any obligations 'with regard to extension or rebuilding which some future local option po}l may render a hardship or loss, and will consequently be satisfied witlh a reatonable amount of accommodation consistent with a due regard to the law on this subject, and to mini Cation and lire-escape observance." In conclusion, we desire to remind y6u that tho late committee never ordered a single house to bo rebuilt. The new I buildings in every instance were erecfed J voluntarily by tho owners. — Wo are, etc., JOHN SMITH, R. A. WRIGHT. I i .Wellington, 7th June. 1