THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, JULY 26, 1909 THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 176, 26 July 1909, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, JULY 26, 1909 THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

THE manner in which the various bodies interested .in the no-license movement have been passing resolutions protesting against the granting of wholesale licenses in the King Country serves to indicate the strength of the feeling throughout the Dominion on the question. The fact that the issue should be in the King Country is merely incidental, and whatever district was affected the agitation would be equally strong. Unfortunately the people responsible for the passing of the resolutions are not sufficiently acquanted with local conditions and the reasons assigned for their protest while appearing on the surface to be the best possible arguments, are liable to discount the strength of the protest. The chief body of the Dominion for the propagation of the no-licencc cause, the New Zealand Alliance, is adopting a more liberal attitude, and is instituting enquiries as to the present state of affairs in the district as far a3 liquor is concerned, before taking any definite step in the matter. Naturally the Alliance i:? opposed to licenses and exist.? for the purpja-.* of opposing the liquor traffic. The members of the Alliance are undoubtedly pursuing the right course, and it is safe to assume their enquiries, if prosecuted in the right manner, will lead to their enlightenment upon a subject in which they arc actively interested. The mistake of those people who rushed to the conclusion that licenses meant the destruction or degradation of the Natives is perhaps a natural one, but the Alliance will probably discover that their protests will be better if based on the broad grounds of the interests of humanity. Whatever the result may be it is to be hoped the members of the great no-license organisation will be moved to adopt a rational course, and contribute their assistance towards remedying the present state of matters under the restrictions which wen placed on the district for a specific purpose, and have been continued despite the fact that the purpose for which they were inflicted has been accomplished.