TEMPERANCE REFORM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5667, 11 September 1896, Page 6 (Supplement)

TEMPERANCE REFORM.

Mr Seddon : in his usual' . downright manner has informed the prohibitionists that he has little in common with them, but at the same time he recognises that in a democratic community the fair and reasonable course is to refer, questions such as prohibition to the people for final settle/riient, and has promoted legislation to provide the machinery effecting that purpose-. What more (asks the Napier News) can reasonable people expect him to do ? Then Mr Isitt re-echoed the parrotcry that under Mr Seddon's regime the police force lias become demoralised and' degraded, but like the rest of the people who make these assertions he failed with evidence in support of his opinion. Let Mr Isitt produce proof of one policeman in New Zealand who has been coerced or prevented from doing his duty by direction of the Premier, and he will get plenty of people to believe him. Up to the present wo have the bald statement totally unsupported by a tittle of evidence, and Mr Isitt stands in the position of a garden variety of scandal-monger, who disseminates at large statements which have not the slightest foundation in fact, and which apparently he is not in a position to prove. .