LICENSING ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10418, 16 April 1897, Page 3

LICENSING ELECTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir—The licensing election calls for a few words. In the good old days before prohibitionism was rampant, it cost our district, with two hotels, about 30s to elect a licensing committee, and the members claimed no expenses. Besides, it was open to everyone without a possible penalty of £10 looming in sight, consequently all shades of opinion got on the committee, and so all shades of opinion were represented. Now prohibitionism is rampant, all this changed tor the worse. In this district it must cost over £5 to conduct the elections. When the committee is elected it can do nothing because it is tied by tlio option poll at the general election time. Then the prospect of forfeiting £10 causes prohibitionists to stand back, being careful men, and permits the brewers a good chance to pack the committee, as £50 or £100 is a small insurance to their large vested interest. Then the unfortunate prohibitionist is deprived of his vote, because his conscience will not allow him to vote for a moderate man—his man must he an extremist—SO that he is disfranchised, and not only disfranchised, but his enemy rides in in great glory. What a sarcasm ! But it is what might be expected from intemperate advocacy of unwise principles. I am a teetotaller; I never drink. But I am very averse to adding several more legal crimes to the calendar, or coercing human nature and making it sly and deceitful. Besides, I find hotels extremely convenient institutions. To do away with alcoholic liquors because some people abuse them is on a par with the proposal to demolish churches and make religion penal, because hypocrites and scoundrels make use of them as a cloak for nefarious purposes. If, instead of trying to coerce the public into sobriety the Prohibitionists were to get it enacted that liquor should be free from all embargo, should not be a revenue producer, should be absolutely pure, then it would be no more sought after la a twelvemonth than home-made wines are now. And being cheap would not be so bard on the pocket; and being pure would not hurt the constitution.—l am, etc., Sam. A. Browne, Clevedon, April 12, 1897.