TO-DAY'S QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9014, 29 March 1888, Page 3

TO-DAY'S QUESTION.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —On all hands it is admitted thafj to-day's voting at Ponsonby has a mosb important bearing, for or against the continued success of liquordom, in this city. As stated by one of the wholesale liquor dealers, if the brewers lose this election their influence will rapidly decline. The question is pertinent, Is our present licensing law in any sense a prohibitive measure? We answer, Yes. The sale of liquor is prohibited between the hours of tea o'clock p.m. and six o'clock a.m., and during the whole of Sunday. If on proper evidence, before proper authorities, a man is proved to be misspending his estate, and ruining his health, be may be made a prohibited person. The Parliament and Government have washed their hands of the liquor traffic, its control or extinction is remitted to the ratepayers. If the ratepayers deem it wise to extend the prohibitive powers, the Act, by the discretionary power it bestows upon the Licensing Commissioners, permits, they have full powers so to do. Said a liquor dealer : —" I approve of local option. In Mount Albert, for instance, the people showed they did not want a publichouse. They did right. But in Ponsonby it is different." Yes; this is the difference: Hotels were licensed by irresponsible commissioners in the days gone by, often against the protest of the people. Now the people have the legal power, why should the principle be right at Mount Albert and wrong at Ponsonby? Because, say some, in the one case there is no hotel, in the other there are two. Wait a bit. . No hotel at Mount Albert ! Ask Mr. Stephenson if he did not build one. Oh, yes ; but he never got a license. Just so; but he has the house. So in Ponsonby, if the people deem it for their best interests not) to grant a fresh license, the houses will be left. As a recent high legal authority has decided, the property remains untouched, even if a yearly permit has ceased. I should like the ratepayers to think more highly of the privilege of local selfgovernment than some of them do, and to resent the interference of these who would rob them of that privilege. The man, or body of men, who, by bribery and threats, seek to coerce their fellows, are enemies to the true interests of the State. In connection with this election a brewer said we must strike a key-note and a strong one. The residents have struck the keynote of prohibition. Anxiously the whole province and colony ill await the result. Free ftn the clamour of interested and paid canvassers, let the ratepayers consider the issue, and vote accordingly.—l am, &c., Uncle John.