CORRESPONDENCE. ICELAND'S REPEAL OF PROHIBITION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 421, 12 June 1922, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

ICELAND'S REPEAL OF PROHIBITION.

TO THE EDITOR. gii- ( The letter which I sent you on this subject, and which you were kind enough to print in your correspondence column, wos also sent and appeared in a large number of other newspapers which had inserted the original Prohibitionists’ cable message referred to. The purpose of that letter was to make public the ingenious use which the prohibitionists make of their propaganda bureau in Lausanne, irom which they send out from time to time cable messages having an official flavour, and which they hope will be accepted by the public as emanating irom a genuine news bureau. My letter has drawn replies from dozens ol people in various newspapers throughout the country, and it is quite impossible ior me to enter into twenty or thirty separate newspaper controversies on this subject. -Most of these correspondents quote some prohibitionist propaganda material, which endeavours to prove that Spain has compelled Iceland to repeal prohibition, and has delivered an ultimatum to that effect. So iur as the limited information available at this end ol the world goes it would seem that Iceland enjoys the benefit of u special ••favoured nation clause,” width gives her a substantial concession in duty paid upon fish imported into Spain. The latter country naturally expects a little reciprocity of sumo kind. If this is not forthcoming then Iceland is simply to be plated on an equal looting with other nations in this matter, instead ot having her fish admitted under a specially low Infill, as hitherto. It constitutes an ordinary, common-place international bargain, and that is what tariffs are for. But to represent this as a "hold-tip” at the point of the revolver is pure sentimental bosh. Iceland would still have free access to the Spanish market on equal terms with other nations, and .site would have all other markets ot tho world open to her. (Beat Britain, which already takes more than _ half Iceland’s fish export, could readily absorb Spain’s present share also. The facts are, as already stated, that there had lor several years been a powerful agitation in Iceland for the repeal ol prohibition; that the Government has nuw yielded to this agitation; and that this Spain business is being exploited simply to explain away the lailurc of prohibition.— I am, etc.. J. ARTHUR HARRISON, Publicity .Manager, the National Council of Die Licensed Trade ol New Zealand. June 8. 11)22.