Page 5 Advertisements Column 3

Evening Star, Issue 16987, 8 March 1919, Page 5

A BURNING QUESTION. Probably novor before in the history of Now Zealand has the' Dominion revenue been the source of so much discussion as at this juncture. Undoubtedly, in tho coming poll on the 10th April every citizen of tho Dominion is keenly desirous of casting his or hor vote whichever way will be best for our young country. _ Mucn hard and honest thinking centres in the faot that tho carrying of Prohibition will mean tho paving out of a capital sum of quito possibly 4£ millions of money, as well a3 the loss of another million which we now reap from the liquor traffic in revenue. But as in tho case of the ancient windmill, there is a reverse side to the question. It is necessarv to remember that the £1,000,000 which"the liquor traffic contributes to our revenue is not a gilt mado by the liquor-sellers or their trade to the Treasury. The million simply represents tho tithe or tax which'the operation of Customs, Excise, or license fees brings back to the people out of the £5,000,000 which they spend. In other words, for every penny which the people of this Dominion spend in liquor, wo get back as a people less than, one farthing in revenue. So that by decKTing for Prohibition we really decide to throw away bur less than ONE farthing, and keep for ourselves the THREE farthings. Some/ how, the "strike out the top line" position sounds like pretty good business. —[Aelvfc]