LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 67, 13 December 1918, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Sir,—l am pleased at your correspondent "Eta's" reply to my letter ot De-. 'uember 7, as it gives me an opportunity to further explain the position. Surely, concern, when I consider a public breach of faith has been committed, is not a feeling for which I should be ashamed. If integrity and straightforwardness are not necessary in public men, .then I say we are looking into the depths of a dark abyss. Your correspondent would exon-' erato Parliament in this case, but the bulk- of opinion is the other way, one member of the Upper House remarking that "the end justified the means;." There is a passage in Scripture which says: that the damnation of those who do evil that good may (?) come, is just. As to the overwhelming imperative demand for an instalment of prohibition at a time when our very existence as an Empire was in the balance, the circumslance caused every God-fearing lover of freedom to bow his head in shame. If early-closing was necessary it should have been imposed, as a "war regulation/ as Parliament is not competent to deal with a-matter while it is in the hands of the people, hence my statement that Mr. Jlassey failed in his obvious duty reject the dishonest addition to the Government's Bill. But the humiliation of the position is tha tin a time when restrictions nnd impositions were endured without complant as a war policy, the Government was tempted to add to their (•rror by making the condition permanent. "These erors have yet to be remedied. For your correspondents enlightenment I would point out that if this course IS justifiable, Parliament is competent at any time, by any means, and at the in? stigation of any person or persons to rescind, not onlv this law/but any law on the Statute Book, and law-making would thus become a mere mailer of political pressure and worse, instead of being a study of the principles of equity and justice as is intended. Parliament derives no authority from one section of the people to harass or injure another section; its legislative warrant is its ability to frame equitable laws and point out their benefit; it really has less right to do as it chooses than has its subjects and when Parliament breaks faith with" any of the people, it inevitably earns the distrust of all. A Government can last only by effectively dealing with abuses and excesses, but' it has no right to attempt to restrain trade where the use only of an article is concerned; and it does not know the purpose for which it exists when it exacts trading conditions, and then suddenly and without notico destroys the trade for which these conditions were exacted. \our correspondent really has much to deplore, as unsuitable laws are mere structures of sand that will fall to pieces in the using, like anti-shouting. To smuggle or force in a compulsory total abstinence law is not to do God service- I am, etc. , WM. BARB. December 11.