A DISCLAIMER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIX, Issue 133, 8 June 1906, Page 3

A DISCLAIMER.

TO THE EDITOE. Sir,—As it is probable that I aiu the minister referred to in your article on "The Licensing Scandal," who is reported to have declared himself strongly against the action of the Licensing Committee in the matter of the rebuilding of certain hotels, and to have characterised said action as "drastic and outrageous," I may be permitted to say that a casual and colourless remark in a railway carriage, to the effect that the action in question "seemed somewhat drastic." has been grossly misrepresented. As a matter of fact, I have expressed no opinion whatever as to the Tightness or otherwise of the doings of the Licensing Committee. The person to whom my innocent remark was addressed, and presumably the "leading temperance reformer,'" also referred to in your article, had been expatiating on; th§ injustice the Committee were inflicting on certain hotel-keepers. He went on to talk about getting up a public meeting to protest, etc., when 1 ventured the suggestion that the Licensed Victuallers were well able to take care of themselves. But evidently he thinks otherwise. Nevertheless, serious temperance reformers will be quite content to leave this matter to the Licensing Committee. I am, etc., ', ' • W. O. ROBB, Bth June, 1906.