TELEGRAMS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 23 May 1908, Page 5

TELEGRAMS.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. — COPYRIGHT.]

NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN

REV. ISITT HOPEFUL

ESPECIALLY OF TARANAKI

[PBESS ASSOCIATION. J ASHBURTON, May 23. Rev. Frank W. Isitt, Secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, told a representative of the Guardian that the Nolicense party throughout the Dominion were hopeful with respect to the coming local option poll and were working with an energy that justified hopefulness. The party recognised that they had an unknown quantity to deal with in the immigrants of the past three years, and fully appreciated the strength of their, opponents, but still felt that the present outlook was better than that of any previous similar occasion. He contended that there had been a steady development of no-license sentiment throughout the British Empire and in America, and that this could not fail to carry weight in the Domink»bu He was particularly hopeful in regard to Taranaki, but feared, that I part of Taumaranui being attac.he.d. to the Waitara electorate bright spoil what might otherwise be -a no-ttcenae provincial district. Speaking in favor of a I bare majority, while not mentioning Ashhutton, he said, he did not see how democratic principles could be reconciled ; wjth a»£ other position, or that anything could be said in favor of the advantages that the three-fifths majority ga.TO his party of holding an elec*or&te by" a*)min6rity vote. Dominion option, in addition to the present option, was required to be determined by a bare majority. Candidates at the ensuing election would be presented with a series of questions in this connection. In reply to an enquiry as. to fopw his party liked the ( recei^ r deliverance of Mr McGowan, Minister for Justice, in re--g ftT <r to clubs, Mr Isitt *aid:-"Of Tl i ™?;\^ «? «** -;: clubs as beneficial institutions. * lB within my own knowledge that in one of the clubs the half-yearly report showed that over' £sooo had been bpent oh' liquor and less, than £1Q on literature in that club. A club charter works havoc. Clubs are obliged to close their bars at 10 p.m., when the city hotel bars are closed. Members can, however, drink till morning by taking advantage of the locker system, and not a few of them do. Speaking generally of this Cabinet,'' he concluded, "we hold absolutely aloof from political parties, and I have nothing to say of the present Government that I should not expect to say if the Opposition took office. Ido say. though, that I haven't the least fear that we should be cheated in any way by the present Government, as we undoubtedly have been by some."