THE LICENSING QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2329, 10 December 1914, Page 7

THE LICENSING QUESTION

— ' PROHIBITION AND THE EMPIRE. A GREAT ORGAN'S PREDICTION. ("Financial News," London. Bth April, 1913). The' correspondence which has been going on with regard to the everlaeting alcohol question will hare more than ordinary interest for observers of the progress of New Zealand. . . . Primarily, of course, a very heavy loss of revenue would be the most conspicuous aspect of the policy from the point of \'iew of investors on this side. They would' naturally inquire how the Now Zealand Government intends to fill the large gap in the revenue resulting from Prohibition. They would ask with the greater emphasis, first, because New Zealand.is at present assiduous in her attentions to. the London money market, and, secondly, because • the teetotal fraternity would certainly oppose to the utmost any suggestion that they themselves should pay the extra taxation precipitated by the' adoption of their policy. But in the background there is the even more important inquiry: How far the adoption of Prohibition by the British Dominions might operate to weaken the Empire .at that point? If human experience is correct in deducing from the phenomena of history the inference that a teetotal people' will never be a great people, then it is obvious that the teototal element of a great race might easily evolve into its weakest factor. . , ( . The adoption of the Prohibition programmo would bo certain to causo the greatest disquietude ci this side.—(Published by Arrangement.)