LICENSING POLLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10309, 30 March 1894, Page 6

LICENSING POLLS.

TO TEE EDITOR. __ Siß,-—Dr Foster is wrong in supposing that there was any concerted action on the part of certain leaders of the prohibition party to secure the nomination of candidates for the Licensing Committees. But any individual member of that party was, cf course, as free to secure such nominations as a prominent prohibitionist was to become Secretary to the Committee which sought to ensure reduction. As a matter of fact, it was stated at a Prohibition League meeting, after the Leagues had decided not to taka any action with reference to the election of a committee, that steps were being taken to secure the nomination of a committee pledged to full reduction, but that the League and its leaders had nothing to do with it. I myself repeated this statement to the Ministers* Association in the presence of. Pastor Birch. It is therefore the more inexplicable that a “ holy alliance ” should have then been formed between certain ministers and Messrs Louisson, Collins and Chodowski to raise another issue at the very moment when those who had laboured so long and earnestly were , within measurable reach of victory. Dr Poster amusingly assumes that but for that alliance none of the 1635 who voted for reduction would have done so. Can he estimate how many refrained from voting for no license because of tho influence and example of their pastors ? I shall not trouble you again on this matter.—l am, &0., FRANK. W. ISITT.