COLONIAL OPTION AND THE BARE MAJORITY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 30, 5 February 1908, Page 3

COLONIAL OPTION AND THE BARE MAJORITY.

I TO TXOS EDITOIt, Sir — I gather from various items which havo appeared in your columns lately that sundry "No-License" leagues hay» ri«eided to press^cr "colonial optita and tke bsr» majority." But do the enthusiasts wk» are «Myi^«oi'4 ir,g the movement fully urder.**r>»* wkit that means? I feel cure they d« *•*, «c they would realise that the tims i» »«t »y. portuno for ruch a demand. A*i frt this reason : At the last poll fh»r» >M»8 a "colonial" majority #f aliawt 89,889 rotes for "No-licsr.ee" ; anil th» zsxt poll, vrhich eTentt«l«i st th« end ef tUii year* will probably rcreel «. cft»,j«rity «f ?.b«ud 50,000 ia farour of it. Tkis biscus tbat the quo#tioa ia ulroady dsocded—oa tha "bare majoriijr" lxxsfi— and. that our rayraiautatlTos, vrite theao facie boforo them, \T«uld prftKioally be cskad to wipo out, with ou« ctro'k* o£ th« pen, 3*- it woie, e*arjr public hc*w« i* tfe« colony. ' Sir, it th» ntr* P«rliaa*«att for mxj euo« eesJjug ParliAßt««t) hktlj to be in tho roood to undertake such a grave rebwonsibiiity? Tha "bar* mcjwily" tcunds v.-eLI and is perfectly "dainows.U*" tikis word ie most alliu-iujf !), but it is cat applicable to matters alloaiuig tho eoutaiano^. for it 'acl^a Btability and only l«vd« to strifp nr.v, oppratsion. And Si tb» "leaders'" of tbo luirty coaesrusd bavfr any ser^c at ftll they Will at anc» so* tha folly and utter futility of ever raising tho question ajain. My argument applies with cqufcl forco in rehlion to "lecal option," for <1 of " the 63 electorates returned "bare majorities" for no-liceuso at tho last poll, while the yotes in mary of tho others weie almost even. "What a struggle there wculd be. '"Colonial option,"' on tho present threo-fiftlis ba*i» is both practicable antt dejintbl* : and ta my poitctvul knuwlcdg^ waHymemben tf i\» presemt P*riiaßi«tnt>— • I don't r«fer t« "temperaHee" Men — a** i* favour of the proposal. In fact, j£ ( ia t>ure of hearty support both in and" *ufr of Iho Hmise. And now is the Uvxn to go fcr it — I am, «tc ALF. O. MORTON. lleildinc, olst J&miftr.y, 1308. v