IS NEVA ZEALAND A LAUGHING-STOCK?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 586, 14 August 1909, Page 10

IS NEVA ZEALAND A LAUGHING-STOCK?

Sir, —Ono is led to'wonder kind 'of a world Mr. W. Bowron, of; Christchurch, ' as moved in; ■ that -h« ' should- find in it ''New Zealand became a laughing-stock bccauso of woman's ; franchise: and ' prohibition."Sir Robert Stout, a stalwart champion of > both' these measures, has bom very much to the fore in England df lati-at-various social functions' and- in various newspaper interviews, in connection -with all of , which lie has; affirmed that the .matters . 'said by. Mr.: Bowron to be occasions of ridicule stand for' advanced legislation on thoroughly rational lines. So far as I have seen,- this claim 'has not. been treated otherwise by reputable newspaper criticism, tliari with rcspect.' The . cause of women's, franchise' iri New Zealand may in .sonio quarters in England ba associated with tho Suffragette deniohstratioais that in .that country, have brought suoh ill-odour .upon the movement. But a shallow- and ignorant criticism of that kind ■ is- surely-' a' very unworthy basis for' the assertion- that the' adoption of - women's franchise has mad-o New Ze.ilt.iul a laughingstock to the world.; \Viteii .it'.is romcmborcd that' i majority of. tlio" members -of , l ho' present British Cabinet support; tJic'priiicipic of,' women's franchise, and_ : that, it' nas also the support of-a largo sect-ion of tho Liberal party. New Zealanders' have no-reason to bo ashamed of the fact ; that-it was the first portion of tho British Empire to acknowledge Ujq rights «jf women, Mr,

Bowron'B referenco to prohibition is more unfortunate even tlinit his referenco to women's franchise/'.'. -As: a' matter of fact the world is moving oh the linos; laid down by New . Zoaland,. at a paco that is anything .but a laughing -mutter . "the trade.' Whether it is tlio ecclesiastical, commercial, political; or medical-world that is concerned, she liquor traffic is receiving to quit.- Nino of the American States have banned the' traffic altogether, . five of them within the last three years) ana in other. .Staffs'the sale of liquor is'so fat'restricted by local option that. in the aggregate moro than one-half of tho United States territory is under prohibitory laws. As tho latest instance 6f the judgment'of'keen busihcss"'mcnin America concerning the traffic, let me : 'refer ito the great International Exhibition which was opened in Soattlo in J.une of the present year. In spite of tho lirgo sums offered ■byr"tlie trade" to run its business .tin!-.the ,us\ial lines, tho autliorities decided'to piV hibit the salo of liquor within the exliibitioA itself, and also within a radius of two miles.; outside tho exhibition; Boundaries. So tlmt the example set at- our otvji exhibition in Cliristchurch two' years ago'seems to havo been thought.worth'-copying and improving upon by - theso'liard-headed' and'enterprising Americans. If the laugh,is on tho^ido- of those who win,,>it looks - very,, much as if', prohibition New Zealand would have it.-r-I am,, ctc.,',. " -'■■i ■ ; ' ' W. J WILLIAMS.j August 12, 1909- < i i