WOKEN AND PROHIBITION.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1911, Page 8

WOKEN AND PROHIBITION.

[to the editor.]

Ir, —Kindly allow me space to refute Lie disparaging remarks made by some people regarding women’s influence in politics. They evidently take it for granted that when they go to the pol! their vote is unanimously for prohibition. This is an unfair inference. Tt does not follow that the majority of women are not endowed- with sufficient brains and commonsense to guide them in the right way. I am acquainted with women that are sensil le and keen-sighted, who are dead against prohibition, and would never be induced, no matter what influence was 1 rought to bear on them, to cast their

vote in favour of such insane and restrictive legislation. Besides, it is a wrong r.nd cruel action to confiscate people’s property and turn them out in the street ■without compensation, just because we are privileged to do so with one scratch of the pen which costs nothing. If the betels of this town arc better closed, why don’t we, like honest men and women,

advocate compensation to the people that have their money laid out in them'? In my humble opinion ,i( will he a sorry day for the business people of Greymouth to see all the hotels in the front street (b-sed and turned into .shops. They say thal opposition is the life of trade. The business people would be foolish to risk it I for one will never consent to nail my colours to the mast of private drinking and allow strong drink to be brought into the bosom of the family. I am convinced that no license means prohibition in disguise. The Prohibitionist refused the straight-out issue No license, no liquor —for which he had been fighting for for the last fifty years. Hence the Bill has become a mere machine. Th? Prohibitionist has now become an evident advocate for private drinking. The record of the past shows that through the ages the IP'e of man has been one long struggle after liberty of thought and conscience, tastes and desires. The stream of human life is not deflected or altered in the slightest degree. The habits of the people and the natural craving of mankind will always prevent the abolition of liquor. It is against the teaching of common sense to think that customs and cravings for anything can be abolished by Act of Parliament. The world is not 1 itilfc on the plan of Prohibition. Christ and his disciples did not preach Prohibition. Water was turned into wine and they drank it. There has been drink from the beginning and will be to the end of time. What we want are good laws to control the trade and see that all drinks are pure and good and free from adulteration I should be sorry indeed, to see the town of Greymouth under prohibition. The development of the resources of this district Would suffer.. Take a female’s advice and vote for continuance and cross ou; the bottom line. Yours, etc.. FEMALE FRANCHISE.