THE £.S.D. OF PROHIBITION.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 214, 12 November 1896, Page 2

THE £.S.D. OF PROHIBITION.

Our correspondent, Mr Wallace, is apparently not yet satisfied. In another column he again airs his eloquence and endeavors to prove that our conclusions on the above subject are erroneous. It is absurd for him to assert that should National Prohibition be at any time carried in New Zealand, wo will then take up the position that it is merely " reduction applied to the whole colonies." New Zealand is a self-governing State in no way dependent upon the rest of the British Colonies : it has power, to make its laws effective throughout its whole extent, and we therefore claim that if it desires Prohibition at all within its borders, it should be national and not limited to a part. We do not understand what Mr Wallace means when he states that it was the party we are supporting that debarred the Prohibitionists from voting on the colonial question. We are not aware that we supported any " party " either for or against colonial Prohibition. Nor can we see that the Prohibitionists may not vote on the " colonial question," as he calls it, in the same manner as they vote on any other question. We do not intend to argue the question of how local Prohibition will affect local finances with Mr Isitt ar anyone else on the platform. We choose our own way of making our views known on this or any other question. For aught we care, some of our Borough Councillors may discuss the question with Mr Isitt. If the latter can show how a loss of £240 per annum in revenue will help to pay off the Gore overdraft, we will willingly admit that he has indeed " found a new way oo pay old debts." Mr Wallace asks what percentage of anti-prohibitionists are ratepayers. In reply, we can say this, that a very large percentage of " ratepayers " are against Prohibition, and we believe that if the rates paid by Prohibitionists and anti-prohibitionists were aggregated, it would be still further apparent what a small proportion of the rates is paid by those who are anxious to cast still heavier burdens upon the ratepayers. Mr Wallace still tries to insinuate that Prohibition lias assisted the Tapanui and Balclutha borough finances. Por his benefit, we give a few figures dealing with Tapanui finance. It is true that sinco Prohibition, Tapanui has paid off its overdraft, bnt how ? Simply by means of extra taxation and reduced expenditure. In 1891 Tapanui commenced to economise with a view to reduce the overdraft, and the following positions at tho end of each year show how the debt was regularly reduced. The years are up to 31st March in each case : —

, The above figures show that the overdraft was being reduced by an average of ' about £118 per annum until Prohibition was carried. The loss of license took effect in 1894, and as a consequence instead of reducing the overdraft by the usual amount that year a saving of only £6 could be made, and this, notwithstanding that the rates were increased from ls in the £to ls 3d. Furthermore, it may surprise Mr Wallace to learn that on 30th September last the Tapanui overdraft was £107 16s Id, or about tho same as it was when Prohibition was carried three years ago. Again, if Mr Wallace will take the trouble to look up the Tapanui balancesheets for a few years past he will find that notwithstanding the increased rate, the gross revenue of the Tapanui Borough has decreased of late years, and for the

half-year ending, 30th September last, was £213 14s 9d, as against £487 3s Bdfor the whole of the previous year. Under license, the gross revenue never fell below £500, but since then it has never reached that sum, even including the extra taxation. We now turn to the expenditure and find that it fell from £559 2s lld in 1891 to £300 os7d in 1896. The reduction in expenditure therefore accounts for the reduction of the overdraft. After "no license " was carried, besides increasing the rates and collecting all rents where possible in advance, instead of letting them stand over as before, the Town Clerk's salary was reduced from £40 to £25, and the day man, formerly employed at L6O a year, full time, was reduced to two days a week, except under special circurnstancas. Rigid economy, including stoppage of works, together with the extra rates and rents, naturally produced an effect upon the Barough overdraft, but as soon as the Council this year did some works wnich had been determined on years ago, up jumped the overdraft to itsold figure. To put the matter in a nutshell. Tapanui has besides being harrassed by tho extra taxation and reduced expenditure on roads, etc., lost by Prohibition a gross sum in revenue of about L 340, or in other words, assuming its economy had been the same, the borough would have been that much better off. In Balclutha, where no license was carried, the rates were increased 50 per cent., making the total rate ls 6d in the £. This high rate has since been reduced to ls in the £, and the deficiency made good by a saving in the expenditure on roads and streets. Mr Wallace asks for the name of a district which is rated higher under " no^license " than under " license." The above ought to satisfy him. From the statement from which the above quoted figures are taken, we observe that although the average annual charge for charitable aid in Tapanui for the last five years has been £27 7s, and the amount for the half year 6nding 30th September is £15 2s Bd, showing a slight increase. All our correspondent's statements and quotations concerning the wonderful effect of Prohibition on finance are quite inapplicable to the subject under discussion. We did not question whether a means could not be found to make up the loss of revenue in case of National Prohibition being carried. All we stood out for was that local Prohibition would seriously effeot local revenue, lf National Prohibition were carried, the Legislature would of course require to take some steps to see tbat the loss of revenue was guarded against, and in inflicting extra taxation could place the burden on the whole of the community, if necessary. The local authority haa no such power in case of local Prohibition. The only form of taxation available to them is that of rating lands, and unfortunately those who possess the voting power which would affect Prohibition do not all possess lands to be rated. The tax from liquor is a voluntary one inflicted on a luxury, hence no person can find fault with its incidence.' "We are opposed to the principle of local option as applied to electoral districts. The absurdity of having no licensed hotels in Gore while Mandeville possesses one is by no means an impossibility, and if Prohibitionists are too blind to perceive the anomaly we can only pity them. We, however, reiterate our belief that Mataura electors are too wise to throw away their local revenue for the sake of what we repeat is a doubtful principle. We never once hoped of being able to overcome that mental kink in Mr Wallace's composition, which enables him to see reason in only one side of an argument— it would be altogether too much to expect, so we have given up looking for it. It was no doubt on tbe schoolboy principle — " if Ican't fight you, my big brother, Bill, can " — that ' Mr Wallace put np his confrere, the Bey. L. M. Isitt, to belittle us, and hold us to the scorn of the audience last evening, and from the very hearty manner in which our correspondent laughed and applauded, it was evident that to his way of thinking " big brother Bill " did excellent service to the cause and humanity generally by crushing us with the fire of his eloquence and the weight of his arguments. So little joy appears to enter into the life of our reverend friend that we hardly regretted being made the cause of his rejoicing ; the role of martyr has practically become the monopoly of the advocates of " the other side " that assuming it becomes quite a novelty to us, and if it should prove the cause of letting a little sunlight into the existence of their apparently joyless existence, we shall be content to go on wearing it indefinitely so long as ourtjorrespondenfc can find " big brothers Bill " to champion his cause in this particular controversy.

The date upon which nominations of candidates may be received at the Town Clerk's office, Goro, for the office of Mayor, is the 18th of November, not tho 15th as notified by us on Tuesday. We have received from the Southland Land Board maps of a number of sections open for sale and sections in the villages of Fernhill and Croydon and Waikawa survey districts, copies of which may be inspected at this office. Two Goreites — Messrs Bowler and Simson — were among the excursionists making the trip to Preservation Inlet, per s.s. Talune, on Sunday last, and, although the weather during their stay in those outlandish regions was none too favorable, they succeeded in extracting an amount of enjoyment from the trip which amply repaid the time spent upon it. We (' Christchurch Press ') aye informed that the Government intend to hold and inquiry into the striking off from the Christchurch electoral roll of the name of a wellknown elector who voted at the by-election for the successful candidate. Numerous other complaints of names having been wrongly struck off have been made. In connection with the cricket match, Australia v. Southland, to be payed at Invercargill on Wednesday next, special train arrangements have been made, which should be the means of a large number of admirers of this game taking advantage of these means to see probably one of the best cricketing teams the world can produce. What next will be done in a lion's cage ? W. Bloxham, a South African barber, is now nightly shaving customers in a den of lions at Fillis' Circus in Johannesburg. He guarantees a clean shave in two minutes, and claims to have established a world's record. In 1891, in Spain, a barber essayed the feat, it is said, but fainted ; and in 1893 another, in America, was killed by the lions. Quite a number of Goreites are at present in Christchurch participating in the joys of Carnival Week in the cathedral city. Judging by the number and variety of amusements going forward in tbe northern town just now, our fellow townsfolk should find no difficulty in having a really good time. The Chief Justice, sitting in Banco, at Wellington, allowed an appeal against the conviction of the lower court under the dairy regulations for neglect to lime whitewash adairy. Sir J. Prendergast said that the offence charged against the farmer arose under the first half of regulation 27 — that is, using a cowshed not constructed in a proper way,— but he did not fiud any authority for , that in the statute, or that the Legislature ! authorised the Governor to issue any regula- ! tion about construction, except in any special matter, such as drainage. No power was given regarding construction in the regula- > tions, and as the regulation under review , was the construction of a dairy, ho thought it was ultra vires. I

. Three summonses in connection with the liquidation of Walter Guthrie and Co., Ltd., were called on at the Supreme Court, Dunedin, on Tuesday. It was stated that the matter of the appointment of a provisional liquidator had been practically arranged. The Bank of New Zealand proposed Mr W. R. Cook and the other side consented, subject to Mr Guthrie being at liberty to propose a reputable co-liquidator. There was no objection to the bringing an action to enforce the deed. The Mataura Amateur Dramatic Club intended giving an entertainment in aid of some local institution at Gore on Show night, but owing to the Town Hall being engaged for the Caledonian Bazaar, have been compelled to select another night, which will probably be some time prior to the evening first chosen. The Club's fame in the entertainment line has long been recognised all over the district, and their appearance in Gore is sure to be greeted by a bumper house. A capital programme has been prepared by the Balfour and Longridge Caledonian Society for the annual sports to be held on Boxing Day, December 20th. As will be seen by advertisment in this issue, nominations for the principal events must bo in the hands of the secretary, H. Barnett, not later than Saturday December sth. Intending competitors had better make a note of this date. A party of four Lawrence cyclists on Sunday last, rode down to Dunedin, reports the 'Tuapeka Times.' One of them, hot and wearied with the journey, went into the bathroom of the hotel (the Shamrock) at which they were staying, turned on the water, and got in. This was before noon. Later on, a young lady resident in the hotel chanced to to go into the storeroom immediately below the bathroom, and found it deluged with water. She ran up to the bathroom and, finding it locked, suspected that there was something wrong. The door was forced open, and the young man was fonnd floating with his head just above the water. Efforts were immediately taken to resuscitate him and after three hours vigorous work rubbing him, he revived. The doctor says it must have been an attack of cramp after the fatigue he had undergone, but he (himself) knows nothing of the cause that had affected him in so perilous a manner. A sensational incident is reported from Cobden, a township on the West Coast, near Greymouth. It appears that on Tuesday morning, a man named Gillingham, on arriving home, found hia wife and a woman named Sealmer the worse of liquor, and, in an outburst of passion, picked up an axe and struck his wife with the blunt end, inflicting a nasty wound across the mouth, whioh is not thought serious. He then struck the woman Sealmer, with the face of the axe, just behind the ear, inflicting a deep gash, aud she is believed to be in a critical condition, and was removed to the hospital. Gillingham, who appeared to be suffering from a severe mental strain, called a neighbor in to witness the rash deed. Medical men and the police were quickly on the scene, aud Gillingham was arrested. Gillingham is an old and respected resident, aud the news of his action came as a shock to all who heard it. The body of a man named Scloss, who died in the hospital on Monday, was in the residence of Gillingham, and was to have been buried the following day. During the interval at the opera in the Christchurch Theatre Royal on Monday night, Mr Pollard presented Mr P. White, the jockey who steered Lady Zetland to victory in the N.Z. Cup, with a gold-mounted riding whip, aud he furthermore stated his intention of presenting Mrs White with a cheque for £100, to commemorate the victory. Mr White, after thanking Mr Pollard for his kindness, made a decided hit by saying that, if time had permitted, he would have been glad to recite, " How we Beat the Favorite," a remark which fairly brought down the house.-" Mr Pollaid and his brother are understood to have netted a large sum over Lady Zetland's win, which possibly accounts for the outburst of generosity on his part. In view of the near approach of matches, it is time members of the Gore Cricket Club were bestirring themselves and going in for some practice. The weather of late has certainly been against outdoor games of any kind, but the last evening or tws, and particularly yesterday afternoon, were fine enough for the game, yet very few indeed put in an appearance on the field. It is to hoped that some more enthusiasm will be shown ; otherwise, the club's prospects of winning any matches are very remote. They could with advantage take a lesson from the juniors — the Trinity Clvb — who are taking great interest in the game. We regret to learn that the Rev. T. L. Stanley is still confined to his bed through illness, and will probably not be able to leave his room for some weeks to come. At Balclutha, yesterday, MrHowkins S.M., fined Wm. Hay, occupier of the premises known &3 the Farmers Arms hotel, £40 and costs for selling beer and whisky illegally, and an order was made for the coufiscation of about eight gallons of whisky found on the premises. The charge against a grsom, of being illegally on tbo premises when the seizure was mado was dismissed. Under examination the witness in the case against Hay admitted having liquor at another socalled boardinghouse and paying for it, and another information is to follow. "He Ought to be Prosecuted." — The indignant words fell from the lips of a young girl who stood helplessly watching a drunken cabman brutally lashing his horse. It is, indeed, appalling to think how much cruelty goes unpunished in this world. Why are there so many weakly children in all grades of society? The explanation is simple. The blame lies with the thoughtlessness and selfishness of parents. While men and women neglect their health they cannot expect to have strong and robust children. Fathers and mothers, be warned in time. Clear your systems of biliousness, indigestion, nervousness, and the like ; restore your vigor and your strength by taking Holloway's Pills, the best and safest of family medicines. Jock : " Sirs the day ! new claes, nae less !' Sandy: " Nae sic luck, but a wee bottle of McKenzie's Cleaner— that's a. It's like'X rays ' ; taks a' the dirt aff, an' maks the claith as quid as ever." — [Advt.] Brewer, Trembath and Co., sell horses at their bazaar sn Saturday. Annual meeting of Athensnum subscribers on Tuesday, 17 th inst. Nominations for Balfour and Longridge Caledonian Society's Handicap close on sth December. Mrs Sutherland inserts a notice re shirt dressing and enamelling. Boundaries of Maitland Village school district notified. I W. and B. Scott, Gore, for " Tui " brand | clothing. I Concert and dance at Riversdale on Friday, I 28th November. I

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1891 . . Overdraft . . £463 5 3 1892 .. „ .. 329 9 5 1893 213 4 10 1894 .. „ .. 108 5 0 1895 . . „ .. 102 011 189(> .. Credit .. 85 2 2