THE CARRYING OF PROHIBITION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2172, 10 June 1914, Page 8

THE CARRYING OF PROHIBITION.

Sir,—The suggestion you put forward in y.i»u ; .r issue of June 1 thai the. ' l)ai.ly Times" rojmrt <■? Mr. Massey's ■ reply to/a deputation, of Prohibitionists ' at Balchitha is likely to bo more correct than that, supplied by the. Press Association 'ions not commend itself id' , in(i. Reporters, as yoii well fof.oiy, often ! omit for various-. reasons many si'ato- , tiitnfe made by- jwhlic men,. but. • they seldom, tf ever.,- iniieduee .matter that ' has uot. been tised by the speaker. If ' your stfgggk.t.ion is sound, tiion tjie re- ' ;xvrter ior the Press Agency must have. put words into Mr. 'Massey's moutli ' which lie never uttered. Surely a. most-, ■unlikely contingency I UnSil, •herefore, Mr definitely repudnfes., :■ the Press Agency's report, I shall, bo ■■ compelled to Jean to tha belief that it is . iho more reliable version, and that the Premier in his reply took the common- . Roh'sp view that a period of foul - years from the date of carrying Prohibit ion : to its becoming operative was altogether too lontr. . But whichever 'report i : s correct X ! think' the ipiii.o't'ies i-u '.fiiis eonneeMem that obtains iiu iiio Uwitsd Slates is well worthy of our can'sidoration. Wo . o,fieivboas.t'thati New 'Zealand leads the world,' but if ft.e tiro. So justify +lt:<} , boast our Colonial Treasurers \vil! need, tii look after their laurels. In the 'great .Republic, .where ijjtfva.'rcls of ; seven millions of it's population are now under one form or another of Prohibition there, the people veto .girt_ liquor iraflio by the siinnle majority rule-no sixty, .or oveii iifi:y>fbio pi?r : cent, absurdities being tolerated: aiid . it: must, l/o borr.e in. ijimd thai- soi'ne ..p;f the Prohibition States contain over twice as many people as are io be found in the whole of oui- Dominion, Set ante ■cite, by way of illustration, two of fho laißcst. ijre State of Georgia, popnhiion 2,6'19.121,' Prohibition eawicij . August, 1907,. and became- operative ■ January.. , }!)95... That, is. within jive months from ife being carried. North ' Carolina, population 2,20/i,257, Prohthi- ■ tio.ii carried May 86, IiJOS. and became . ojwtatjlfe January 1., TOOtf, hr about •: seven months from its . being carried. 1 And similarly with other States and 'owns embracing nv'lluins of people. . This means that while Stales eotnain- : ittg t over tw.o millions of people can ; pass from liquor to he liquor wit'n.fn six ; mtiiiths in America, yet here in sTew ; Zealand our staies'meu aro so perversa ' ftr incapable lhat 1 hey demand for this .cßairtrj:, with omy ono million inlia?,?tan's. a ncriod of four years re which to make the change. What it. reflection •i on their ability' Metlratks a few lessmis in financial nrobler.is 'wfiiild/not b.o amiss for otir poliiieian.s on "bath side/ ef the House.—l am. etc., • r eta.