THE NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21361, 15 June 1931, Page 10

THE NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE POLICY

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —As I notice that the New Zealand Alliance is again preparing to organise its forces in favour of prohibition at the next election, I venture to suggest to it that it would be an advisable policy to abandon the present idea of total prohibition, which has been losing ground rapidly in all parts of the British Empire, and also in many foreign countries as well, and to decide to adopt the more practical and less extreme plan of compromise in favour of light wines and beer, especially those produced in Neiv Zealand, which give employment to thousands of our own workers. . From the figures supplied by the alliance in your Friday’s issue, appears that the annual consumption of New Zealand beer was 8.19!) gallons per head, as against .381 of spirits, .133 of wines, and .051 gallons of imported beer per head. From this it is reasonable to conclude that partial prohibition can be carried by an overwhelming majority the first time it is submitted to the electors. Many thousand:? who will never support the present . total prohibition issue, would gladly vote for partial prohibition, which would in consequence secure an easy victory. and result in an enormous sum of money being retained in the Dominion instead of going to Scotland, France, etc. Those who are strenuous advocates ot keeping our home industries going vigorously should seriously consider this important aspect of the prohibition issue, and should make strong efforts to modify the attitude of the New Zealand Alliance, so that it may be brought into line and induced to be practical instead of foolishly stubborn on this great question. The alliance would then find the ranks of its supporters'-increasing instead ot declining, and the finances of this country would gain greatly by eliminating the sale of liquors produced beyond the Dominion. As one of those electors who have previously voted for prohibition, who is very dissatisfied with the impracticability of the alliance in refusing to accept repeated proof over many years that there is no reasonable hope of carrying total prohibition in New Zealand in the near future, if at all, I challenge the alliance to show reason why the time is not long overdue to face the facts and modify its present policy. I assure it that until it does so I, though a teetotaller myself, intend to change my vote for prohibition into one for continuance, as I consider a vote for the former been, and is likely to be, a vote absolutely thrown away so far the attainment of any practical result is concerned* The alliance is really blocking its own cause. I trust that saner election counsels will prevaid in the alliance.—l am, etc., A Practical Partial Prohibitionist. Dunedin, June 13.