THE DUNEDIN EXHIBITION AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2149, 15 June 1889, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN EX HIBITION AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

TO THE KDITOB. Bih, — I regret exceedingly to see that the Exhibition Commissioners are making application for a license to aell llquov In oonneotion with the proposed " show " m Duoedln. It seems to ma that the gentlemen named above are going out of their way to give patronage to a trafHe, tbe evil effeo s of whioh are calling forth the earnest effort of all tbat Is best In Ohuroh and State to overcome. The' proposal to create an alliance between tha liquor traffic and au Industrial and art Exhibition is wrong In principle Suoh a union Is unnatural, and consequently ' ca anot fail to be fraught with.i.rious evil to the community. The Commissioner* are manifestly going outeide tha propae functions of their offioa m seeking to secure Increased facilities for the sale aud consumption of Intoxnatlng liquors, Tae Oommisiion wis set up for purposes differing altogether from that of the ■»?# of liquor, and the tsrmi of tha prospsotas of tbe Exhibition will have to ba mora than elastic to Inolude that of holding a license to sell Intoxicating 1 qoors. Further, the Oommistl.nera ira only acting as agents for others. They may bars a personal interest but there are hundreds of others who have subscribed to the guarantee fnad, besides the Go- • vernment grtn*, the latter bah g taxpayers' > money. Have not these • right to hava a say m this m.tter ? Doubtless a large number of th* guarantors are opposed m toto to the traffic In strong driok, and yet tne Commissioners assume the rUht to use the' building for suoh purpose*. It will of oourae be v gad that the publls aonveoienae will be served but I might ra ply tbat the like end would be seamed by providing s'eaplng accommodation for tha hundreds of viritors who will be drawn to the southern city, Nobody would dream of doing tbe laMer, Why should tha former be undertaken, tf not tbe latter. No plea oan be nrged on the ground that it is needed . Tha time spent In the bolldlog will only be an hour o. two oooM.onally, aud tbe numerous lioansed houses In the vloiui.y will remove auy pressing necessity for the granting of looreastd facilities. I hope tbe friends of Tempsranea throughout the colony will take up this matter. If there is au emphatic expression of oplnloo against the proposal, doubtless tha Commissioners will with* draw the amplication. The Duneiin branoh of W.O.T.TJ. has already taken aotion but if there la a united effort It will st ren /then their position. Bf all means, let Us save our Exhibition from being smirched by " (ha trail of the. serpent." I am, etc., J. Newman Buttle..