"JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE."

Southland Times, Issue 20208, 20 June 1927, Page 11

"JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE."

To the Editor. Sir, —From the published report in reference to the deputation of the N.Z. Alliance which waited on the Premier on Friday it appears that Mr. Coates is still as Mr Edmunds described it, “sitting on the fence.” What our legislators are going to do when the battle of the form of ballot paper is fought out on the floor of the House, remains to be seen, for on this depends the success of the battle which will be fought out at the ballot box in the year 1928. If right prevails and a two issue ballot paper is adopted (as it undoubtedly should be), then, judging by the figures at the 1925 poll, the result should be entirely satisfactory to the prohibition party. When asked to explain at the conclusion of the 1925 poll how it was possible for 301,064 votes for prohibition to be defeated by 278,593 votes for continuance, I stated that the explanation was simple enough, for as the law stands at present it is quite legal for the liquor traffic to have 52,536 votes (representing the votes cast for State or corporate control) piled up in what for convenience sake may be termed a reserve fund, and when it is remembered that each of these votes has to be cancelled by a prohibitionist’s vote it will at once be realised how charmingly simple it is for the liquor traffic to win. If the full significance of the above fact is realised it will be at once apparent why the liquor trade is so anxious to foist the third issue into the ballot paper. Just as surely as a gambler can run a game with leaded dice, so surely can the liquor traffic win under the circumstances recorded above. It is simply an arithmetical calculation as to how many votes can be piled up under the guise of a desire for State control or any other control. That the piling up of a reserve fund was the deliberate intension of the liquor party is borne out by the fact that in addition to the “private and confidential” circular issued by Mr. Skerritt in 1925 one was also issued by the Archbishop of Waipu in which voters were urged to vote for the “middle issue” and these significant words in the circular are on record, viz., “Every vote for State purchase and control counts definitely against prohibition.” Further comment on tfie phase of the question is unnecessary. I notice that one section of the Press persistently recommends an issue in regard to “light wines.” It should surely by this time be understood that any third issue placed on the ballot paper (if counted as a valid vote) must confuse the real issue which should be liquor or no liquor.—l am, etc., “ARGUS.” Invercargill, June 18, 1927.