TRADE TRIUMPHS IN 1895.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 303, 14 May 1896, Page 9

TRADE TRIUMPHS IN 1895.

have before us a lengthy and exhaustive retrospect of the triumphs of the trade in Great Britain during the year 1895, which proves conclusively that the Central Board and the defenders of the trade, by perfect organisation and unity of action, secured the great victory (now historical) against the “ Veto Bill ” of the Salisbury Government. It has been said that the victory indicated was in no small degree due to the vacillating and inconsistent conduct of Sir William Harcourt, who previous to the introduction of the Veto Bill had made a great speech at Oxford, wherein he is reported to have poured the utmost contumely upon the principles underlying the Veto Bill, and likewise the Permissive Bill. This statement was naturally the source of great political capital for the supporters of the trade, and directly it was found that fanatical intrigue had secured for the Bill third place amongst the firstclass measures of the Government, The Licensing World, within a few hours of its introduction, published the tenor of Sir William Harcourt’s Oxford speech, and apparently “ scattered ” thousands of copies of the paper broadcast for public information. The Central Board also published a thirty-page pamphlet on the same and kindred subjects, and as this publication was followed by the circulation of other literature bearing on the interests of the trade, there is no doubt that “ the wind was,” as the Retrospect states, “ taken out of Sir William Harcourt’s sails.” Then we are further informed that this great effort to educate the public by the dissemination of trade literature was at once followed by a gigantic meeting of retailers, held in the Alambra, at which eloquent addresses were delivered by speakers specially selected for the purpose. The effect of this meeting, according to the reporter, was to simply paralyse Sir William Harcourt’s arm, and jointly with previous actions, undoubtedly had a national effect on the fate of the Veto Bill. Not only had the Central Council and its friends during 1895 to fight the ministerial party in parliament against the Veto Bill, but it also had to fight bigotry and tyrannny, as manifested by a majority of members of the London County Council, who were interfering with vested interests, and practically advising a policy of spoliation, if not open robbery. Here again the united action of the Central Board, through the aid of judicious literature, and assisted by the united action of the trade, secured a decisive victory, which has proved a salutory lesson to the London county councillors who showed an unrighteous determination to “ rob a poor man of his beer.” The two great victories achieved over the Local Veto Bill, and the election in the London County Council, were still hot in the mouth of

the Central Councillors and members of the trade generally, when by a side issue a dissolution of the English Parliament took place,and the consequent General Election was sprung upon the public as a surprise. Though, to use Mr Balfour’s phrase, the Sali shury-H arcourt Government had been “ wobbling like an unskilful cyclist” on the liquor question for a long time, no one expected the defeat of the Government at the time it took place. Consequently, to the ordinary mind it may be considered that the Central Council and the trade generally would *be unprepared to meet the gigantic

struggle they would inevitably have to engage in. This view of the however, serves to bring out m greater prominence the perfect organisation of the able men who had, as it were, a moment previously achieved the two greatest victories ever obtained by the liquor party. But the result proved that their lines were still unbroken; that the general was equal to the occasion; that every officer knew his work and faithfully accomplished his task; and as a final ending, the expression of the great Nelson could have been appropriately varied to declare that “ this day every man has faithfully and efficiently done his duty.” Of course some bitterness waa imported into this great contest, but, so far as we can gather, most of this originated with the fanatical party, who were not satisfied with the Veto Bill, and wished to go much further in the direction of national prohibition than the Bill itself provided for. We shall conclude this part of our article by quoting one paragraph of the concluding portion of the Retrospect, which states —“ The great moral lesson which these facts ought to impress on all licensed traders may be summed up in a few words. The trade stood to loose one hundred millions, and the majority of traders ran the risk of being reduced to poverty. That danger has passed away for ever, we believe, so far as the veto is concerned. Instead of this loss, we have actually gained many millions in solid cash by the appreciation of trade property consequent upon our victory at the polls.” We have gone somewhat into details on this matter, for the purpose of pointing out to the trade in New Zealand what was done by perfect organisation in the Old World, and how the victory was obtained. It is true that in this colony we have not the hundred millions at stake in the trade, but in accordance with the number of persons engaged in it, we believe the amount at issue is proportionately greater here than in England. Hence, there is no difference in nature and little, if any, in degree. In our next issue we shall point out as forcibly as possible the necessity there is for the trade in this colony to copy the example thus set them. We shall endeavour to assign strong reasons why this should be done, and may venture to offer suggestions as to how it can be best accomplished.