IS PROHIBITION DEAD?

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2139, 8 January 1897, Page 5

IS PROHIBITION DEAD?

(tD THE ED'TOR.'I.W.M.) Sir,—l am uot what some people call a rabid Prohibitionist, but I am one who believes that the less drinking we have the more real progress we will make. I am quite content that the people should decide this question, but if we are going to be demo cratic at all let it lie applied all through to every, question alike. Such a thing as a three liftlis majority is entirely foreign to true democracyand fatal to its principle. With regard to the recent Local Option Poll, the Liquor League and those who with them on this question would have the world believe that Prohibition in New Zealaud has sustained a crashing defeat, and that it is doomed to oblivion* Nearly all the news papers in their references to the result of the fast poll imply this. Now, Sir, as your paper must be read by a portion of the 940 electors who voted No License in this electorate,'you will not, I am sure, hesitate to publish the Prohibitionist view »f the result. One of the Ouuedin papers recenth made the ?t»temeiit that, no matter when the Local Option vote was taken, the Prohibitionists would always poll their fullest vote. This means that Prohibitionists fully realise the importance of their privilege. It means more, iuaimuch, as it gives us a fairly accurate idea of the progress that Prohibition has made during the past three years or so. Taking 'the Wak.itjpu -District, we fiud that in 1894 only 225 votes for No License were, recorded ; whilst tt the hist elections 940 votes were given. Su< h progress should be sufficient to encourage the most enthusiastic Prohibitionist. Taking the colony as a whole, we fiud the Prohibition vote has increased from 48,993 to 95,666. Admitting that Prohibitionists will always poll their fullest vote, the advance shown in the above figures is anything but discouraging, and may he "regarded as a sure prophesy of future success. Oue thing ha* been made plain through the recent voting, viz. the iull voting power of the opposite side. So enthusiastic were they that they scarcely left a vote unused. Probibitionis's are anticipating large accessions from 'he rauks of those » ho voted Continuance on th4th inst., aud, if their progiess is anywhere near what it has been in the past, at the next elections they will without fail come out on top. Prohibition is certainly not dead, but ionly just beginning to live in New Z-aland. Iu iTiler that the views of both parti' s may he clearly known with regard to th«- rece->t Local Option Poll results, is my sole object in writing. I am, etc.,

W. Austen Ganv Queenstown, 30th December 18%.