THE LICENSING ISSUE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 138, 7 December 1918, Page 4

THE LICENSING ISSUE

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, —In the sub-leader of your paper of Tuesday last, 3rd instant, you state that the National Efficiency Board's recommendation in connection with the liquor traffic was a war measure, and that the war now being over the necessity for it is paat. This is not in accordance with the facts. The last paragraph of the National Efficiency Board's recommendation reads as follows:—"In conclusion, tho board places on record that whilst at first it looked into this matter from the point of view of war conditions, yet as the inquiry proceeded it became apparent that in the interests of national efficiency tho board had to consider the liquor question also from the point of view of the efficiency of the State and of the individual both during tho w«r and afterwards, and it has therefore submitted its recommendations go as to promote permanent national efficiency." While your paper is justified in holding and expressing any opinions that it* likes on this question, it is not justified in misleading tho public by making statements which are not in accordance with the facts. Allow me to say further that we expect constructive leadership and not merely carping criticism from a paper of the calibre of The Post. The success of Prohibition in. America in reducing crime and improving social conditions is so apparent that no responsible journal should daro to oppose its adoption in New Zealand, except for the strongest and clearest of reasons. If such reasons exist they should be stated. If they do not exist there is a moral obligation resting upon the press to eupport thpso who are endeavouring to secure Prohibition here. May I ask. in conclusion, what constructive contribution The Post lias made to the solution of this admittedly grave, moral, and economic problem?—l am, etc., R. S. GRAY. sth December. [We ask the reader to concentrate on our correspondent's fir3t sentence, and compare it with the following sonterice in the article which he criticises: "In it» first aspect, the proposal was an efficiency measure, but mainly a war-efficiency measure, which latter character—as wo have already pointed out—it no longer possesses." In translating' this into a statement that the proposal "was a. war measure," out correspondent is guilty of obvious misrepresentation. As we did not say the thing he says we said, and as we expressly admitted that the proposal was assocjable with reconstruction or demobilisation, his criticism is without application.—Ed.)

TO 111 EDITOR. Sir,—Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are about to take their departure for London to attend the Peace Conference, and will no doubt insist that in future treaties shall not be torn up as "scraps of paper." That being the case, they (as | politicians) will only be too pleased to explain why they have allowed Parlia- | ment to flagrantly tear up the "scrap of paper" which ordained that 6 o'clock closing should Jbe a war measure only. The -principle Is the same; are we to have Prussianism in New Zealand at the behest of the leaders of the people?—l am, etc., WEST COASTER. 6th December. $ j