THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Mataura Ensign, 25 February 1909, Page 2

THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

).NVESTKiA'IJ.\(. Till.; I'HOlildvM

Timr.. a,,'i.,.,l ~, C,, n . ,v,..st..,dav ■Ml' li.'A. Ilankim.:. nlio has l„,.|i spc.'i'. ally d.'pm.'l l.v Ihryiurniaiid (iovi'in-im-iit to iim-li-n,. t|„, 1i,,,,,,,. .pu.sli,,,: and its nmilmd ol t ivatiimnt in \..\v Z.'iiland. Ilm visitor is senior polirr liiii-isliat,' in ( ( !im,.|island. and up to il„ ti 'I his Inning I hat Still., tva.s pi,. In.' magistral., al l!i jshaim.

Spi.alsina in an 'l'msif,!,' r.-pr.'s.'iil atif short Iv all.'i his arrival in thit.nvn Mr Uiiiilsim... said ||„. r,,-,. lls ii,j. linvs ol QiiiMmsland .laird hack to ISSo. and 111. y had sd;.,. 1,.-,., i allU'lulcd horn linm I" I'.nii'. A< 'dint.lv tlm l'imi.'i' tlh.' lli hi. W. Kidstoiii was ~( ili,. opinion thai lln y .-liniild hr liromdit iii.nt' up In dai.'. "And lhut i... Hhv I am Imiv." added Mr liankiiij:. I am inv.-stij^atill"; th<> niatt.'r in Victoria, New Smith Wales and New Zealand, and aiter studying the liooiisinj; lav,,, in these States will return In Queensland with mv report. On comine, to Acu Zeahmd I lirst visited \V,dliii K t..n. (vlmiv I ohtaitied n e.md deal oi statistical iniorinatinn at the dillereiil (lovernineiil ollices. I then visited Clirkslchnrch. and comiiij.l Smtlli spent a couple of days in Ashhiirton. where, as von know, prohihition has hoen in force lor mimic time. In Invcrcareill I spell! two days, coming here this morning, and 1 leave for Oainarti hv the morning's express. As for Ciutlia. 1 do not consider il necessary to go there, as prohihition has heeii estnhlished in that district fulsome time and presumably has proved slice,-ssi'iil."

.Mr Hanking said that the people In had approached for information had heen exceedingly aceessihle and useful to him. He lias already interviewed a largo number of (.'ore residents with views on both sides of the cptcstion Asked ns io his impressions with regard to the liquor iiuestion the visitor said he was unable at the present stage to m.iko theso public until such time alli--. report, was published.