THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17424, 19 September 1918, Page 6

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

• o — ADDRESS BY MR L. M. ISITT, MP. Notwithstanding the wild weaihcr at Port Chalmers last night, and the fact that a picture show had to close for want of an audience, a few people brayed the cold to hear Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P., explain why prohibition should be carried. The meeting was held in the Salvation Army Hall, and the Mayor (Mr J. Tait) presided. It was popularly supposed, said Mr Isitt, that prohibitionists were beings with something peculiar tn their mental make-up, who did not wish others to have -what they themselves could not appreciate. If he thought that the trade could add to the happiness or welfare of the people he would assist it to do so; but it was his conviction that there was nothing to be said in its favour. Prohibition would raise the moral and spiritual level of the people and improve their_ material "well-being. All tiie sum total of misery caused by the most terrible war in history was not such a ghastly spectacle as the moral and physical wreckage oaused by the liquor traffic. This was a sweeping statement to make, but it was a great English brewer himself who, in 1860, said that the ravages of drink were worse than famine, war, and pestilence combined. It had been computed that in Great Britain alone 120,000 deaths a year were caused by the liquor traffic, and this destruction was going on. continuously wherever thf trade _ existed. The speaker related many experiences to show that the same thing was going on in New Zealand* and alleged that much of the misery caused by drink was carefully hidden from the rmblic eye. In Christchurch, for instance, when a returned soldier 'was killed by a street collision a question was put at the inquest concerning the soldier's condition, and the coroner ruled that Jt was not a .necessary one. Dealing with the National Efficiency Board's proposals, Mr Isitt humorously remarked that the Government's policy about debatable questions seemed to be when in doubt to appoint a commission, and then hide its report away in a pigeon-hole. The National Efficiency Board, not being paid for its work, the Government for once had appointed the best members possible, and he had heard many politicians comment favouraby on its personnel. When the board's liquor proposals were made public the same men considered the members of the board wexe a set of "d ; d wowsers." The allegation that certain prohibitionists were actuated by mercenary motives was a foul libel. Only the brewers were moved by personal considerations, for their trade was at stake. Commenting on press criticism about causing dissension in war time, the speaker recalled Mr Lloyd George's statement that the nation "which husbanded its resources best would win the war, and he urged that m view of the enormous waste of raw material, _ fuel, labour, and tonnage, there was no time - to trifle with the liquor trade. In New Zealand a vessel had arrived with a i r i ar €° °£ whisl; y- '^ le captain had been told that ho would have general cargo for New Zealand, and "when he discovered the deception he swore he would never risk his life again carrying whisky. He kept his word, and when the boat reached- New Zealand again with ' more whisky it had a new master. The speaker reiterated that the Prohibition Party did not believe there was any moral or legal claim- for compensation. But in years if prohibition were earned another Parliament might be elected by the brewers to save their trade and rather than We twentv million pounds directly spent for the drink bill in that time they agreed it would be wiser to pay 'compensation and have the traffic abolished immediately There would be no money to waste on drink after the war; interest on war loans and sinking funds for them would alone require £12,000.000 annually. Mr Isitt concluded with a warning to beware of any additional issues being put on the ballot piapers without the fair safeguard of preferential voting. Votes of thanks -were accordcd to the speaker and ft> the Mayor.