THE ONTARIO VOTE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16431, 24 December 1913, Page 14

THE ONTARIO VOTE.

TO THE XDITOK. Sir,—Yonr correspondent "Temperance" shows remarkable .ignorance.in connection with the matter about which he writes with so much . confidence. He cites certain fluctuations of Voting on the liquor question in Ontario as illustrations of the vicious effect of the "bare majority." If he had the slightest acquaintance with the liquor law now in operation in Ontario he would know that the " bare majority" as a voting principle does not exist in that province. Long ago -the Ontario Legislature copied the .bad, ©xby New Zealand, and imposed the unjust condition of a majority. It has, been by a three-fifths majority in every.case that ono hundred and fourteen municipalities have recently been added to the list of tho " drys," making a total of 502 out of 835. | - Your also assumes a remarkable credulousness on the part of your readers'when, ho asks them .to swallow the poor old battered stunt instead of decreasing \ the'consumption; of liquor: with it 9 at'tendant evils, only succeeds in increasing it. If all the grocers in New Zealand: were to combine to spend some thousands a year in opposing a measure which was proved to result in intho demand for soap and BUgar,. most people would brand them as colossal idiots. It is the assumption of what would bo a colossal idiocy on tho part of brewers in spending their tens of thousands in fighting prohibition if it really led to an increase of their trade that has rendered " flat, ..stale and' unprofitable" the objection that--your correspondent "Temper--ance" once more ventures to fling at the anti-liquor movement. The, cropper , that "Temperance" Comes on the majority- question casts grave:-: 6USDici<af 6*l*:'the.' figures ; : he quotes with a show that the agitation for. prohibition, has been detrimental to the progress of Ontario. It is a little too late in the day to tell the people of New-Zealand that the suppression of the liquor anywhere has been otherwise"-than'beneficial to the best interests'o^-the- community. »-J am, etc.,. -...T..r. «■'- \ Oamaru,