NO-LICENSE DEBACLE IN N.S.W.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 967, 7 November 1910, Page 4

NO-LICENSE DEBACLE IN N.S.W.

. si *~ A Stent, battle lias been fought in New South Wales between tho alleged Prohibitionists (No-Licenso people) and "the. trade." The former had their legions drawn.up.for a battle array handled by. their greatest generals skilled in the art of No-Licenso warfare and backed up by the Wade Government and the two great morning daily newspapers of Sydney. The Wade Government, in fear and trembling, gave its assistance to what seemed to be a victorious army.' "The trade," in the past not having had any experience of the methods of the NoLiconso party, did not trouble to organise and lost, through reduction three years ago, a considerable number of licenses, not that reduction in New South Wales would do any harm, as Sydney and country towns are "overpubed." Small towns like Masterton, where there were six hotels, would, in New South Wales, have 25 or 30, consequently no great effort was mado by 'the trade" in the past to prevent reduction; in fact, a considerable number of thoso interested were in favour of of same, as fewer hotels would put "the trado" on a better footing. However, both tho No-Licenso people and -"the trade" did not consider tho moderate voter. Ho was an unknown. quantity not taken into consideration by cither side.

"The trado" this time organised in a somewhat better manner than at the previous election, but the tales of tho vast amount of money spent by them is all nonsense. Previous to the elections I 'was surprised .to learn that the contribution .from the hotelkeepers for defence up to two months beforo the election was,only about 1 £160, aud as there arc somewhere about a .thousand hotels in Sydney it pans out at the magnificent sum of 3s. per hotel. Of course other parties interested had to contribute in order to mako a decent fight 1 against tho great opposing army of No-License people, but taking it altogether I do not .think more than £5000 was spent by "the trado" altogether in New South Wales. The No-License Eeople made every effort to capture tho abour people after having already subdued tho Wade Government.'. The leader of the Labour party, Mr. M'Gowen, and several of the principal members were cjaimed as in favour of No-Licenso and opposed to "tho trade," and a determined effort was made to capture the whole part}-. The liquor defence people of New South Wales had not had much previous experience of the electioneering methods of the No-License loaders consequently were- no match for tho strategy and cunning of their opponents.

A great number of these alleged Prohibitionists stumped tlio country, spoke at strcot'eorners and at church rallies, conducted great demonstrations and disseminated the most awful misstatements about the great success of No-Liccnso in Now Zealand and.the degradation, crime, and general badness existing in licensed areas. It is very easy for pcoplo to circularise glaring untruths to fto multitudes as nobody can contradict a lie, ouco it has got a good way on. I was surprised at tho number of falsehoods uttered by some of the speakers regarding New Zealand. Tho daily papers were full of lotters, articles and advertisements giving different views of the contending parties. Telegrams were' being received from Now Zealand praising up No-License as a panacea for all evil, and others were received stating that No-Licenso was an abject failure. Some members of our Parliament called upon tho Government for a return in answer to Magistrate Day's statement about drinking in No-Licenso districts. The AttorneyGeneral, Dr. Findlay, whom tho Prohibitionists considered in sympathy with them, got returns from inspectors of police, several of whom were pretty astuto and knew, on which side their

bread was buttered. The consensus of all those inquiries was cabled to Sydney I as from Ur. lOindiay making it appear that Magistrate JJay's statement was incorrect and that A'o-License was a hugo success in Now Zealand. The receipt of this cablegram caused the greatest joy amongst the No-Licenso people but tile general public of New South Wales dm not take J)r. Findlay seriously. They have an idea that he is a kind of a political Handy Andy and pilot balloonist. After all their efforts, backed up by clownish demonstrations, tlio No-Li-cense peoplo went to battle confident that victory was theirs. "Th o trade" stood in fear and trembling awaiting their doom. But the No-License party had not reckoned with the great body of moderates, as the groat victory for tolerance and reason showed that tho public of Now South Wales would not allow themselves to bo dictated to by intolerance and gave tho verdict of a great majority in favour of continuance, xhe majority of tho members of Parliament elected were working men and know what they were up to. Tho conditions of hotels in Sydney are different to what obtains in New Zealand and it will perhaps explain why tho voters would not stand reduction. The Licensed Victuallers having a monopoly, a system has grown up whereby licensees have to provide free luncheons for their customers with cheap beer. You can go to nearly any hotel in Sydney and got a really good hot feed free if you are a customer, and as beer is, only 3d. per pint a very great number of people who cannot got to their homes for midday meal avail themselves of tho free lunch that is provided by the hotolkeeper. Had this system not obtained of making the hotolkcepor contribute some of the profits towards tho feeding of the multitude, reduction no doubt may havo been carried in..a'great number of cases. I am of opinion that in New Zealand the peoplo who hold tho balance of power are the moderates. Tho extremists on either sido are powerless. The noisy agitators who .have, been vainly endeavouring to frighten tho peoplo into abolishing the liquor traffic havo no power. Tho moderate men will not be dictated to. and I would call tho attention of the Prime Minister when handling his new Licensing Bill not to allow tho minority to frighten him into passing a law that will not meet with the general approval of the great body of moderate people who vastly outnumber those intorested in No-Licenso or their opponents who are interested in "the trade." Let us have a Bill free from influence on either side.—l am, etc., ''".'•'. WORKER.