THE STATE CONTROL ISSUE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 66, 10 December 1921, Page 12

THE STATE CONTROL ISSUE

Sir-Whether Mr. Massey holds the same views as the Rev. Mr. Comrie, the prohibitionists, is not the. point at issue Neither does it signify what alleged friends of the licensed trade in 1 arlia meiit say. They do not make the policy of the licensed trade, and i. ’ wav responsible for their asseilions. The point is this: The Rev. W. J- Comrie Moderator-Elect of the I’rc^ei’.an 1 ’ rc^ ei ’. an Church at the .Assembly in Dunedin, made this statement: “The prohibition n ar v could have the elimination of the State control issue from tho ballot-paper "" m U„. I><« -th. . had asked in its proposal to Mi. M-issej 'was that a time limit of five years should b inaccurate statement was telegraphed by the Prey Association aU over New Zealand. I have it fion various sources that when my rebuttal of Mr. Comrie’s statement reached the Assembly it fell its a bolt from the blue for nearlv two hundred ministers and elders had believed Mr. Comrie a s.ateincnt up to that time, and thousands more probably in all parte of tho countrNow Mr. Murray says, on Mr Comrie’s behalf if you please, that ho (Mr. Corn; never said the ”H-nsed had made a proposal to Mi. Maa y. What a prohibitionist shuffle! Mere are Mr. Comrie’s words, as repor ed: ■■The price the ‘other side had asked in its proposal to Mr. Massey was that a time limit of five years should be granted.” and Mr. Comrie made it quite clear that that was the price for the elimination of State contro . That statement by Mr. Comrie, as I have said, is not true; and it was obviously made for a purpose, and telegraphed throughout the country io attain that purpos . The licensed trade seeks only io pieserve its rights and people’s privileges under the law. against the injustice and tvranny of the prohibition proposal, but when prohibition and State control nro S et side by side wo say tha in contradistinction to prohibition, State control is an honest proposition.—l