THE LIQUOR REFERENDUM.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 116, 2 May 1919, Page 2

THE LIQUOR REFERENDUM.

[to ths editor,] Sir,—Ju MeW of his erratic statements to-night, 1 wonder it Mr. Ellis really thinks he should be gctieuis’ly, lam convinced ni&f case calls iot kind observation. He actually goes B o far ?1B ho admit that he does not know what h© writing about.- Ha says: ‘‘He (I'ather Flra'her) quoted figures certainly, but unless he wrote a letter which I did not see, and that Dr. Story, did, he quoted only figures concerning C'lutha and Invercargill and your readers are, aware of the horrible mess he got into respecting them;” Father Frailer gave figures for the 12 dry electorates, 15/4/19, and Mr. Ellis professed to raply on the same date. The “Tribune” gave figures and Father Frailer gave hrs opinion on those figures when requested to do so. Mr. Ellis could not find fault with tihe opinion so he referred t*o the figures, It suits Mr. Ellis to disregard the fact teat Eatheir Fraher is responsible not for the figures (tihe “Tribune” admitted responsibility for them) but for his opinion. Mr. Ellis then supplied the correct figures showing a majority of 060. Father Frahcr took tihe figures given by Mr. Ellis and proved, and Mr, Ellis admits, that Clutha did not poll 60 per cent of votes in favour of Prohibition. I' find the percentage is 57.9. Mr EtLlis says 58.15, and, even though Clutha went dry with 77.1 Mr. Ellis assures your readers that in C'lutha tiherw has been no change. Your can judge who got into the “horrible mess.” Mr. Ellis admits that Invercargill failed to poll 60 per cent which was the necessary condition to carry No-license in the district, and failed in spite of tihe absence of the soldiers who are rioting ho decidedly against Prohibition, but he assures your readers’ these things are not worthy of consideration! and he is quite anxious to be taken seriously, and he is delighted about Father Fraher’s precipitate flight” from such a formidable opponent. But he evidently fails to see why he was advised to go to sdhool to learn arithmetic, etc., with the children, a more necessary occupation for him than debating. To make a comparison it is necessary to have two things to compare. In tihe letter to which Mr Ellis professed to reply, but which Ibe has dedlared he did not aee, Father Fraher made it clear in two places that he was comparing tihe present vote with the 60 per cent nceegsiaiy in each electorate when they went dry. Perhaps it is best for your readers to make the comparison, and sea that only one of the twelve electorates retained „tho necessary 60 per cent without which they could not have gpne dry. Present

Invercargill ? 56.4 Mr. Ellis says the* change noticeable in the eleven electorates is not worth considering; and he wants to be taken seriously. If, as Mr. Ellis asserts, some people “hide with ornaments want of art” it is certain | that others take no trouble about ornaments for want of truth. He ; though it a great joke to print in ; parallel columns a statement and a misrepresentation of it. He now assures your readers the two are identical except for the three words “or anyone else.” Let your readers see the identical columns: The majority is What evidence 916. What evi- have we indeed that deuce have we or there are not over anyone else that 1000 soldier s’ there are not over votes out of the 1000 soldiers vot- district whose iug out of the dis- votes may possibly triet whose votes give a majority in may possibly give the electorate for a majority in the continuance. , electorate for continuance? But supposing there is not one soldier out of the electorate, let us examine the figures. Mr. Ellis says the two columns are identical and he wants to be taken seriously. I am afraid he has handled the truth very carelessly. | Father Fraher did not “suppose” anything at all about the 1000 soldiers votes, as Mr. Ellis falsely as-[ serfs he did, because he cannot answer what Father Fraher really did suppose, i.e. that every vote belong-: ing to the electorate was counted. The figures are:—Prohibition 4155, 1 Continuance 3209, majority 916, pei-1 eentage 56.4: Mr. Ellis says 56.7; but even if it is 56.7 it is 3.3 per jjent short of the vote necessary to carry Prohibition in 1905. But Mr Ellis says that is not worth considering. He also says I accused him of bearing false witness. Perhaps he did not see niy letter. If he takes the I rouble to look at it, he will find I made no accusation but merely remarked that I cannot see how he can prove himself anything else blit a bearer of false witness. Take his letter this evening. He says he never saw the letter dated-15/4T9 ; yet he answered it, or thought lie did. Father Fraher gave the figures for the twelve dry electorates in that letter, yet Mr. Ellis says he gave figures for only’ two and he expects to be taken seriously. It is evident Mr. Ellis does not understand what he reads, and is badly in need of a little education. Finally' he says it is asking too much to ask your readers to believe that neither Father Fraher nor Dr. Story: owe allegiance to any party, “and inasmuch as there are only two parties it is easy enough’to pick the party’ they belong ho.” It depends entirely' on mental capacity, for that reason I asked y our readers to believe nothing but what was proved, 'but- I refrain now from asking Mr Ellis io believe even that,, because I cannot take him seriously. I admit it is easy to see io which party lather Fraher and I belong if the- parties are the Wowsers .and anti-M owsers. The anti-Wowsers include (1) supporters of the liquor traffic as at present constituted. (2) supporters •of State control. (3) men who oppose Prohibition, and are not particular what system of sale be adopted. While Father Fraher opposes Prohibition. lie had not said one worn in favour of any particular system of sale, but has' declared himself a total abstainer, and those who know him can prove the statement. Fours eU '” B. STORY. I This wordy conflict is assuming proportions beyond the space limits of our columns. We do not wish to stifle discussion but must request the belligerents to taper oft —Ed. H. 8.1. I

.Electorate Dry percentage. centage. Eden 64.3 62.4 Grey Lynn 64.2 56.6 Ohinemuri 62.1 46.8 Masterton 60.8 49.9 Wellington South .. 64.4 48.9 Wellington Suburbs 63.9 51.1 Ashburton 62.3 45.9 Oamaru 63.3 55.2 Bruce 61.4 53.8 Clutha 77.1 57.9 Mataura 61.0