NO LICENSE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13602, 23 May 1908, Page 3

NO LICENSE.

AN INTERVIEW

Per Press Association.

ASHBURTON, May 22. The Rev. Frank W. Isitt, secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, to-day told a Press representative that the No License part/ throughout the Dominion were hopeiul with respect to the coming local oplion poll, and were working with an energy that justified that hopefulness. The party' recognised that they had an unknown quantity to deal with in the immigrants of the past three yeais and fully appreciated the strength ot their opponents, but he still .felt,that the present outlook was better than that of any previous similar occasion. He contended that there had been a steady development of .no license sentiment throughout the British Empire, and in America, and that this could not fail to carry weight in the Dominion. He Mas particularly hopeful in legarcl to Taranaki, but feared that part of Taumaranui being attached to the Waitara electorate might spoil what might otherwise prove to be a no license provincial district. Speaking in favour of the bare niajoiily. while not mentioning Ashburton, -Mr litt said that he did not see how demoi ratio principles could be reconciled wii.n any other position or that anything could be> said in favour of the advantages thai iiie three-fifths majority gave hi:-, puny of holding an electorate by a minority vole. Dominion option in addition to tin: pieseiit was required to be determinable by a bare majority. Candidates at the ensuing elections would be pre>ented with a series of questions in this connection. In reply to an enquiry as to how his party liked the recent deliverance of the Hon. Mr MeGowan in regard to clubs, Mr Isitt. said : "Of course we are exceedingly sorry that the Minister of Justice should go out of his way to tipeak of working men's clubs as beneficial in?i.itutions. It is within our own knowledge that in one of the clubs the half yearly report showed that oyer £6CGO had been spent on liquor and less than £lO on literature. In that club the club charter works havoc as members are obliged to close the club bar at 10 p.m. when the city hotel bars are closed. Members can drink till morning by taking advantage, of the locker system, and not a few of them do so."

Speaking generally, Mr lsill concluded: "We hold absolutely aloof from jjolitieal parties', and 1 have nothing to say of the present Government that I should not expect to say if the Opposition took office. Ido say, though, that I haven't the least fear that we should be cheated in any way by the present Government as we undoubtedly have been by some."