NATIONAL PROHIBITION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143670, 14 December 1911, Page 4

NATIONAL PROHIBITION.

(To the Editor ) Sir, —In your lender of Tuesday you do not mention one of the principal causes for the heavy voting in favour of national prohibition, ana that is an indication to the Government and the House of Representatives that an alteration in tlic licensing laws is demanded and absolutely necessary. Firstly; how can capital he expected to invest in up-to-date hotels, suitable to the safety and comfort of the travelling public, if every third year it has to face local option? Secondly. the monoply caused by the Act. thereby enabling the owners of licensed houses to demand thousands of pounds for a three or five, years’ lease, besides extorting excessive rents. Who has to pay these extortions? Nofc the tenant, but the public. The tenant has to make every post a winning post to pay his way, and consequently the public pay the piper. T submit that all refreshments should be supplied by measure, and at fair and reasonable profit, that no'spirits or wines, etc., should

he allowed to ho imported into the. Domnnion unless of the very best qualities, and none under five or seven years of age. No ease spirits or wines should be imported; everything should come in hulk and be bottled in the Dominion. Wo should thereby employ our own . labour, probably in a very short time manufacture our own bottles, etc., whereas at present we are paying outside ourselves for labour, bottles, cases, packing, etc., and freight on 20 per cent, underproof spirits, which means 25 gallons of water to every 100 g Tons of 5 per cent o.p. spirits. This is a direct loss to us, which we should endeavour to prevent. Money spent within ourselves is not lost, but every shilling that leaves the Dominion has practically .gone for ever. I trust others will take this question up. There arc many points want ventilating.—l am, etc., W. HUMPHRIES.