CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8683, 30 November 1899, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

« A LETTER FROM CLUTHA. (To th» Editor of the Hf.iui.d.l Sir,—As a resident of Clutha for nearly forty years, will you kindly grant me ' space to say a few words in reply to Mr " \V. Douglas Lysnar's pathetic effusions about the working of Piohibition in the Clutha. We are well aware that Clutha holds a conspicuous place in New Zealand We are proud and thankful to God for the position we hold. Our statistics show that we are a law-abiding people : we are also a solidly prosperous people, whatever may be said to the contrary. Mr Lysnar, of your town, came hero ostensibly to make inquiries intn the working of Prohibition in Clutha. He has gone back and retailed as facts what I have heard characterised as unmitigated lies. He has either been fooled, or his one-sidedness has colored everything. Since Prohibition, or rather partial Prohibition, became law, a hotel and four wholesale licenses were thrust upon us, though only one of the wholesale licenses exists now, and that one in Tapanni, the hotel at Pukerau, both places being on the opposite side of the country from Balclutha, but as I aaid before, since Prohibition became law here iv Balclutha we have three extra grocer's Bhops (two of them particularly good ones), two drapers, one baker, two fruiterers, one tailor, two blacksmiths, one extra coal merchant. and painter and paperhanger. An old busiuess firm is also erecting splendid new brick premises. We have much to struggle against at present because tho outside generous brewer and spirit merchant can •work in a way which would not pay at all times. However, just before eleotion time it does not pay them to give freely through their agents for the purpose of submerging the public brain. But the indisputable fact remains, we are better in every way since no license became law. Milton is an older place, and'was always Inrger than j Balclutha. It is the township of a large farming district, and lime, not liquor, has always been the source of its prosperity. Gore is on the main Hue, the outlet of an immense farming district, whereas Ttfpanui was supported by sawmills originally, and the branch line has been formed to Kelso instead of Tapanui. No land has been cut up for settlement here. It has only been spoken pi. Besides, Mr Lysnar has, to my own knowledge, obtained reliable information from the Prohibition side which he totally iguores. Is that fair ? He also aaya " commercial travellers shun the town." I have known ten or twelve to be in the town at the same time, and have known twelve to be in Owaka on one day. Owaka is included in Clutha. In short, the most of Mr Lysnar's statements can be denied, aud the rest qualified. I may say that there have been at least forty new nouses, and additions to houses, ereett d in the township within the lust six years, and that includes a new Weßleyan Church, au addition to the Roman Catholic Church, a considerable extension to the railway station, an auction room, and st-veral of the handsomest residences in the town. I have kept well within 'he mark when I make this statement. We are a peaceful, industrious, Scottish community. The Anglicans form a very small portion of the 1 whole, and all Anglicans do not think j with Canon Dodd. Others more competent than the writer will deal with Mr Lysnar and the "genial gentlemen with snow-white hair." It is a pity Mr Lysnar's facts are not equal to his imagination.— I am, etc., Christine R. Mitchell. Balclutha, Nov. 23, 1899.