PROHIBITION LEADERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIV, Issue 10705, 15 July 1895, Page 2

PROHIBITION LEADERS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— The prohibition meeting held at the Opera House this afternoon igss unquestionably one of the greatest fiascos ever held in this city ; in fact it was an insult to Christianity and a disgrace to the animal creation. I have been in a publichouae constantly for the last fifteen years, and in and out of publichouses for the past thirty years, and such scenes of disorder and disgrace as that of this afternoon I have never before witnessed. The chief speaker told the people nothing new, but made every effort to put class against class and patty against party. He stated that the reason the liquor party showed the opposition they did was because they (the prohibitionists) were going to sweep away one of the greatest monopolies in the land, and that all other monopolies in the country joined forces with them, such as banks, large land-owners, and all other companies in the country. I wonder how Mr Taylor can reconcile this with the position the recognised leader of his own party has taken up in identifying and binding himself with tbe Conservative leader of this country. I would warn all the Liberal electors of this colony to beware of the base and tricky tactics adopted by the prohibitionists of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. They are prepared to sacrifice everything that is near and dear to a true and pure Liberal to further their own fanatical whim. This afternoon Mr Taylor went out of his way, trying to justify the base and untruthful charge made in Wellington by one of bis colleagues against the young men of this country being addicted to drink. To my own knowledge, this is one of the most infamous charges, and a libel on the rising generation, and I hope they will not forget it? The New Zealanders born are a sober and law-abiding people, and it is cowardly and mean for prohibition leaders to describe them as drunkards. —I am, &c.,