MR HARNEIT AND POLITICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 14

MR HARNEIT AND POLITICS.

Sir,—When Mr Harnett, at the mayoral reoeption ill Dunedin, denounoed the Social* ists as men who had forgotten their King, their God, and their country, lie was immediately acclaimed bv a numerically important section, who appear to have a positive geiiius for error, as u third Daniel oonw to judgment The Socialist party, feeling but a languid interest in Mr Harnett's political views, refrained from troubling to reply to his criticisms. Now that he has attacked No-license and the moral oonditions in the Dominion generally, it is amusing to note that those same wiseacres who had so promptly lauded him to the skies are now engaged in denouueing him equally fervently, and certainly in far from carefully-chosen language. Personally, I think that the Noliceuse party, instead of indulging iii improperly-worded recriminations, would be far more profitably employed iii examining his charges seriously, to see if there be any substratum of fact underlying the matter, and if so, to make an attempt to remove the scandal. No one will dispute that a certain amount of illioit drinking does take place in no-lioense districts, and few will contend that temperance hotels, as a rulo, are as conducive to comfort to their visitors as licensed houses. The evil of illicit drinking will probably not bo altogether removed until no-license is adopted throughout the Dominion, tnough more police supervision would undoubtedly restrict it. The disparity (if any) befcweon the comfort of licensed and temperance hotels is purely a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence, and it is eaay to aee that the hotelkaeper deriving a large profit from the eaJe of alcoholic drinks is able to offer better accommodation to his boarders than the proprietor of a.o hotel which has no liccnso for the sale of drink. Mr Harnett's alleged utterances as io the shocking conditions of immorality prevailing in Dunedin are certainly not in accord with the experiences of people who have resided here for several years; but I reluctantly leave those who have previously considered his views almost bordering on omniscience to reconcile them with the ones now expressed.—l am, etc., JUSTITIA. '