NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9214, 5 November 1908, Page 5

NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT.

CONFLICTING OPINIONS IN

INVEROARGILL,

REV. W. THOMSON GETS A DECLARATION SIGNED.

CONVINCING FACTS AND FIGURES ON THE OTHER SIDE.

MORAL TONE OF THE COMMUNITY GREATLY IMPROVED

NO DRINK TRAGEDIES

(By Telegraph. — Spsdal lo the Post)

IN VERCARGILL, Yesterday,

The visit of the Rev. W. Thompson, anti-prohibition advocate, has stirred up the liquor question fervour a good deal. Over one hundred business men in the towu have put their names to and published the following declaration : "We, the uudersigned electors of luvercargill, soiemuly affirm that No-License has decidedly militated against the business of the town, which is much quieter than under liceuse, aud that it has not helped the temperance cause.

By way of counterblast, the Temperauco Reform Couucil resolved last night as follows: "Considering that in luvercargill under two years of NoLicense the value of property has largely increased, that the aggregate value of all hotel properties is now higher thau under licenses, that the muuicipal rates have been reduced, that hotel accommodation coutiuues to be as good as, aud in many cases better thau, uuder license, that the consumption of beer has been very largely reduced (notwithstanding the breweries and depots in the license district of Awarua), that the Customs duties on spirits have decreased £13,500; that druukenuess has been reduced to six cases only in two years— the remaining 'drunks' comiug from liceuse districts; that the moral toue of the town has greatly improved; that little or no drunkenness is to be seen in the streets; that there have been no lambing-down' cases and no drink tragedies, this Couucil, with the utmost confidence, recommends other electorates in the Dominion to vote for No-License and obtain the same benefits as luvercargill."