LOCAL OPTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 4072, 29 March 1888, Page 4

LOCAL OPTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —You lately published an extract from the Melbourne Argus, In which it was pointed oat that, owing to the fact that considerably more than half the □umber of electors on the roll did not record their votes at ths first poll at Port Melbourne under the new Victorian Licensing Act, only about one-fifth of the whole constituency were the means of affecting the closing of 24 bars. And from this a plea was adduced against Locil Option Law. Bnt, sir, I believe it is manifest that the fiult did not, and does not, lie with the principle of Local Option, bnt solely io the calloainess of a peoplo in tho exercise of their power by that law. If the half of the constituency cared so little which way the thing went that they neglected to express their own desire by the recording of their own vote, that half of the "people are probably injured by the result of the contest ; and thus we should come to the fact that the victorious party was a majority of those who alone were interested, and therefore, of all who should have a vote. But, again, if this neutral half (though recognising that tho matter concerned themselves) should fail, throngh inertia, carelessness, or indisposition, to record their wish, are tbey not responsible both for loss to themselves and for this indictment against the law 1 Is not the principle of Lccil Option in relation to the liquor traffic a manifestly juat one? "A country is made np of localities, and it may happen that some parts are ready to do what other parts are unwilling to do. It would be inexpedient to force, even a good measure, upon the unwilling districts; bnt it would be grossly nnjnat to prevent the willing districts from receiving that relief which they are anxious to obtiin." And, admitting the necessity of Local Option, to reason that it is unfair to give a bare majority of any constituency the power to forbid all sale of intoxicating drink, and on such ground to provida that two-thirds alone may forbid such sale, is to fores a bare two-thirds of the voters to endure the injuries resulting from it for the benefit of scarcely mors than one third, since 101 could rule 109 ; and thi3 is giviog far less than a m»j trity power to rule. Thus, sir, I think it is evident that the Local Option principle is not to blame for the phenomenal result of the Port Melbourne test, but the people failing to do their civic doty for the well-being of the State at large. Had thi3 been done, I think probably more than half of the electors on the roll would have voted as the majority of the 1031 have done, sioce it is well known that some who do wish right to reign are more backward in exercising their voting power than those who desire that Bacchus should be king. I am, etc., A Member op the Netv- Zealand Alliance.