WHAT THE CITIZENS LEAGUE HAS DONE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 992, 11 March 1909, Page 23

WHAT THE CITIZENS LEAGUE HAS DONE.

When we last week drew attention io what the Citizen League is doing, we hardly expected to be in the pleasant position this week to eulogise the first successfully completed act by rhe new body. When this body was first formed, it was generally conceded that the time had fully arrived when strong steps were necessary. For some years past the licensing question, which after all seriously affects the general public and our commercial community to a larger extent than tfy&y « are perhaps prepared to admit or even realise, has been left in finality to a struggle between the brewers on the one side, and the extreme prohibitionists on the other. We say extreme prohibitionists, because the moderate man, or rather the moderate voter, takes so little actual interest in the question which so seriously affects the general community, that he allows himself to be guided by enthusiasm and emotions which are worked upon toward polling day. by processions, advertisements the introduction of nolicense questions into our churches, and homes, where perhaps the question has to be discussed tinder circumstances which leaves little argument in favour of the trade.. When the vote is g.ven, as it was on the 17th November last- by such means, it is not perhaps surprising to find that later on after voters have had time for serious reflection, and the prohibition question is put before them in another guise.—that is the one of reduction — then rhe vote is apt to be a very d.fferent one. The voter, who perhaps from these already mentioned causes is prepared to strike out the top line, as we have remarked many times before, is not prepared to close a certain number of houses, with the result that the business from these closed houses, finds its way into the ones that are allowed to remain open. Particularly was this fact brought home to the voter in Auckland city by the tactics of a Band of men. who with a sorry sense of humour, styled 1 hemselves business men. These men with their ridiculous, very often exaggerated and we regret to say, sometimes somewhat untruthful statements, have published from day to day advertisements, which have drawn public attention to the fact, that therj existed a determination in this band to assume supreme control over the licensed houses in this city. They they only, were to be the self appointed judges, .not only of the number, but even of the houses that were to be closed. In fact, their self esteem and disregard of public op'nion had carried them so far, that they deliberately stated in one of their advertisements, they had already inspected the houses which they intended to close. Could greater j)elf assurance kjr an utter want of that very quality—business—. which they profess so much, be shown

in public print? However, we have no intention at present of following these—ranatics in their methods of self destruction. We will leave them to study the result of last Tuesday’s poll, where it will be found, and we need go no fureher into the figures, that the polling of one of their selected members who came, highest on their list, fell below the votes recorded by the fifth member of the Citizens’ League ticket, by 74 2 votes. This fact, we consider, will give the “Band of Business Men’ sufficient to reflect upon for some time to come, and cause them to conclude that the business man is most successful when attending to his own business. We cannot conclude this without offering our inost hearty and sincere congratulations to the Citizens’ League, who have so nobly and fearlessly launched out to take a hand in public affairs, and we hope that this initial victory will only be one of a long series and that before many months have passed- we will find that this body has been raised to such esteem in the public mind, that its voice will only need to be raised, to be listened to with respectful attention. THE XXX BAND. Graves Aicken and Arthur Rosser have now joined the XXX band. Up to yesterday they were oify XX. Aickin, ex-Councillor and ex- Chairman of Harbour Board. Now he can add ex-Licensing Commissiu -cr. Ro-ser. ex-Councillor and ex-Presi le Trades and Labour mi ii. nd x Licens'ng Commissioner. MANUKAU. Considerable interest was taken in the election for a licensing bench for the Manukau electorate- In addition to the five members who retire this year, five new candidates offered themselves for election. As reduction was carried ni Manukau last polling day. the question of maximum or minimum no doubt made the election for the licensing committee of especial interest. At the time of writing the results to hand were: —

Dr. W. G- Scott ... ... 1463 w. Westney ... 1422 John Rowe ... 1412 D. Neilson ... 1385 G. H. Fleming ... 1360 D. McLennan ... 1337 D. Hattaway ... 1332 A. R. Harris ... 1323 J. Flanagan ... 1328 A. W. Gordon --- > . • ... 1308