Page 6 Advertisements Column 4

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16379, 4 March 1919, Page 6

A BURNING QUESTION. Probably never before in the history of New Zealand has the Dominion revenue been the source of so much discussion as at this juncture. Undoubtedly, in the coming poll on April 10 every citizen of the Dominion is keenly desirous of casting his or her vote whichever way will be best for our young country. Much hard and honest thinking centres in the fact that the carrying of prohibition will mean the paying out of a capital sum of quite possibly 41 millions of money, as well as the loss of another million which we now reap from the liquor traffic in revenue. But as in the case of the ancient windmill, there is a reverse side to the question. It is necessary to remember that the £1,000,000 which the liquor traffic contributes to our revenue is not a gift made by the liquor sellers or their trade to the Treasury. The million simply represents the tithe or tax which the operation of customs, excise, or license fees brings back to the people, out of the £5,000,000 which they spend. In other words, for every penny which the people of this Dominion spend in liquor, wo get back as a people less than one farthing in revenue. So that by deciding for prohibition we really decide to throw away our less than ONE farthing, and keep for ourselves the THREE farthings. Somehow, the “strike out the top line” proposition sounds like pretty good business! — Advt.