Page 18 Advertisements Column 4

Observer, Volume XXIII, Issue 5, 18 October 1902, Page 18

rpHE BREWERS' MANIFESTO (To the Editor Auckland Star). Sir,— The Brewers' reply to your correspondent, " Grey Lynn," which appears in your' issue of the 7th, may possibly satisfy him. The : original manifesto itself has, however, sefc: people. thinking, and they want to know why the Brewers should say it is " malicious " to report that they (or some of them) are likely to invade districts which at present are free from licensed houses. It is true that a report to that effect is current, and is believed. Indeed, even the poor protection of the Brewers' promise does not cover the whole of the Eden Electorate, but why call such a report " malicious?" Has the strong word been usedmerely for effect, or may one hope that it is evidence of a saving sense of shame at the results of the traffic ? It is fortunate that there is no need for the electors of the two districts of Grey Lynn and Eden, which are referred to, to trust the Brewers. Even if their " Manifesto " did not contain so many loopholes in its promises, a trade which has set at nought the will of the people, and has, with magisterial approval and licensing committee's assistance, easily shuffled through an Act of Parliament which was specially prepared to safeguard the people's liberties, has no claim to be twisted to do anything more than look after its own interests. A'" No-License" vote will be the more dignified, self-respecting, and very much the safer way of protecting the electorates from what the Brewers appear now to admit to be an objectionable thing. Let other people wait hat in hand upon Brewer and Bench, if they choose, but let Grey Lynn and Eden resent the suggestion that they ought to make terms with the Trade. Only within the last few months one of the firms which has signed the Manifesto has done the very thing which it now says it is " malicious "to suggest it may repeat. What does the Trade suppose will be thought of its present assumption of virtue so long as Maungaturoto Hotel insults the little riding which protested by more than four to one of its inhabitants against its establishment. Was it a " malicious report when public-house encroachment upon iMaungaturoto was deprecated? If not, why should it be " malicious " for Eden Electors to speak about and provide against the worst thing which they have cause to fear? We ask the Brewers' attention to another report which is being circulated in leaflet form by the New Zealand Alliance, and which, if a tenth part of it remains without effective contradiction, will be infinitely more damaging to them than the report of which they complain. It is headed ' Patriot or Pro-Brewer. Which?" It says that during the thirty - iwo months of the Boer War ending June Ist, 1002. the Boers and their climate (chiefly their climate) slew 21,942 British people from all parts of the Empire. That during the same thirty - two months, Strong Drink (that is the Brewers' and Distillers' Business) killed over 320,000 British people in all parts of the Empire. The Boer War deaths averaged 686 per month. The drink deaths over the same period averaged 10,000 per month. Is that a "malicious" report too ? It is surely awful enough. The same authority says that in the three years since the Last Option Polling 2000 deaths have occurred in New Zealand which have been directly traceable to the drink traffic. If anything like that is fact, the traffic might well show signs of shame and make promise not to extend its hurtful influence, and the people may righteously decide to "rob a poor man of his' beer," and save those 2000 lives instead, besides preventing the greater loss in degredation and untold misery. Will the brewers look into these statements V Surely, after all, they do not realise what their traffic means, but even if they do, and yet decide for the sake of the gain to perpetuate these horrors, surely the people who are paying in blood and treasure will say "No-License at the ballot box and stop the waste and sin. WESLEY SPRAGG. THOS. WEBB. For Mount Albert No-License League. "DRICKLAYERS' ARMS HOTEL CHAPEL STREET, AUCKLAND Between Victoria and Wellesley Streets CHAS. MOLLOY Late Secretary of the Waihi Branch Thames Miners' Union Desires to notify his friends, former fellow, workers, and the public generally that he has taken over the above house, and would respectfully solicit the favour of a call. THE MOST POPULAR STARCH IS "SYLVIA." Highly praised by Laundry Experts. The best manufactured, and 20 per cent, cheaper than the imported. PUREST, MOST RELIABLE & EFFECTIVE