Chalmers Licensing Committee

NZ Truth, Issue 507, 6 March 1915, Page 9

Chalmers Licensing Committee

« . ! The Wowsers' Wonderful Wisdom j Scollay Scents Strife. (From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.)

Matters all round are beginning to look blue for the wowser push, if what is occurring at Port Chalmers happens to be any criterion of the situation. Of course it is only one of the inevitable results of the licensing poll, at which the wowser section got such a salutary drubbing. A kind of deadlock has resulted between the parties ' m sleepy dusty Port, and. despite all Mayor Scollay's efforts, tho deadlock will become protracted unless the necessary election leavens matters. Mayor Scollay does not want any election, as this method of testing would cost him and his blessed burgh nearly 200 llttlo quidlets—a precious penny to the miry little townlot. It appears that on the present Licensing Committee there are two license advocates, and three wowsers. Then the chairman, Mr. Wlddowsou, S.M., has to be counted, but '•Truth" does not know whether he is a wowser or a •white man." It rather thinks the latter. The cunning wisdom of tho wowsers prompts them to screech from the housetops that they do not want to put the Mayor and his merry men Jto'unv expense, as they wish the existing representatives on the Committee ;to stand. Naturally: The existing ! representation ! GIVES THEM A MAJORITY and the further opportunity to brow!beat the license folk after the hitter's ! victory at the polls, a situation which Uhe victorious pubbery people are no !foolß to tolerate. It is obvious that ithe beer push, having ii» view their i achievements at the polls, have made | up their minds to .secure an extra re'prcsentatlve on Hi. Committee, m 'which, by every (ode of fairness and I decency, ilu-y ale entitled. If the wowj si-is won't consent to the placable entrance of Ihe extra becrlte, then tho license folic must tight it out ut the ! poll. The license crowd can with every j degpv of hope appeal to tho electors. I Even many of tho churchgoers aro very irespectablo patrons of Bacchus, and ; nue Marie Corelll'.s Parson Dyce, they 'reckon the wine "devilish tine stuff.' | After being squelched at tho local jNo-llcenso poll last December, lt is 'singularly audacious for the wowsery push to attempt to retain their majority on the Committee: hut that's where the wisdom of the wowser llatheads comes In. An election will havo to tako i place, despite Mayor Scholay'a objection to forking out the 100 quldlets as his portion of the exes. One of the main reasons the wowsers object lo an extra Hct'tiHO man on tho Committee is thu terrible fear that a license might bi< granted for VYlnguiul on racing days. The license crowd ate going lo give them a run for their money, at any rate.