JUSTICE V. NO-LICENSE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12397, 12 November 1908, Page 1

JUSTICE V. NO-LICENSE.

The late. Dean Dickinson said that he' "would not build up temperance juthe ruins of justice. The doctrine that it is lawful to do evil to try to secure . good is not acceptable by the - Nation." Is it acceptable to the Nelson electors?

Money has been invested on the underlying belief, that the country ■ will not: tempt its subjects into a largo outlay and, then throw theni over reinorselesslv. ■

Righteousness can never ba promoted by unrighteous means. Temperance is a grand virtue but so alco are honesty and' justice.

Was there national honesty in taxing the late Mr Joseph Harley's astate for £7,900 for goodwill of licensed property when it is now proposed to ruinously depreciate these properties by taking away all licenses ? !t 'is as good as saying that for the ourposes of: taxation we consider that you have a vested interest in your licenses, but for the purpose of the :;o license vote you have no goodwill whatever. Is this treatment in accordance with justice and equity ? Every man and woman who has implanted in them the spirit of justice that has so long been our great heri-fcn«-e will answer, a thousand times Mr Philip Snowdcn, Socialist' M.P., said, "He believed in compensation, uid it would be. a very big sum that he , would, refuse to pay if he Knew that, by its payment, they would yet rid of a great part of the present drunkenness. Though it might je argued that licenses were only from year to j'ear, for all naetical purposes the permanent vested interest of the drink traffic had been recognised, and the vested "ntei'est was the most powerful in he land. As to the United Kingdom '.lliance's suggestion that after a cervin. period 1 all licenses shall alitomaMcallv. cease, and only be renewed as 'bio people decided, he could not im•,£ine the Trade .accepting such a iroposal, and he could not understand ' oivnorance men who "desired the immediate lessening of drunkenness favoring it. Something needed to be dona at . onco and he was prepared t-n support any reasonable scheme of financial compensation so as to attain, in the, quickest way, the reform they /ardently desired." . WM.