PROHIBITION IN THE CLUTHA ELECTORATE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10571, 18 January 1896, Page 7

PROHIBITION IN THE CLUTHA ELECTORATE.

TO THE EUITOE.

Sir,—Ths Tapauui Courier, whose article. you honour by quoting from in your issue of the 9th inst., is a valuable piper ss ah advertising medium ia this district, but when its proprietoreditor takes Bides in any questions of political or social import, more particularly when he joins issne with the Temperance party, and in favour of the licenced liquor traffic, the value oPthe paper becomes seriously discounted, and his pen becomes a weapon which may be aptly compared to an overloaded and rusty blnnderbus, much more likely when flred to injured his friends than his foes. As an example, nothing could be more to the point than his recent article . referred to above—viz. ," Is Prohibition Successf til in a Marked Degree in the Ciutha Electorate ?" Why, §ir,. what, stronger propf could be afforded, that prohibition—such prohibition aa the Alcoholic Liquor Sulhs Control Bill and Mr Hawkins's interpretation of it gives ng—is successful in a marked degres than the fact (?) that a score of young men provided themselves with: liquor from the wholesale, licensee and drank it in the streets. Observe! No'retail sale of driDk even hinted at, and the score of poi.r young lads compelled even to drink their liquor in the street. Let it be borne in mind that vte have, thanks to our worthy S.M., only no retailing of driak at present. For whatever drunkenness may hava occurred in Tapin'ui during the recent festive spason the respousibility must lie on Mr Hawkins's shoulders, j That the statements of the Courier on the liquor .! question should bo taken with more,than the proverbial pinch of nalt will bs dearly apparent when the fact is widely made known that the proprietor of the paper ia.question is or was until reoen% on agent for a wholesale wine and spirit merchant in Danedin.—l ar% &0.,. Bkktrand E. de.Lactocb. Tapanni, January 16.