LIQUOR TRADE PROPAGANDA.

Evening Star, Issue 20058, 26 December 1928, Page 11

LIQUOR TRADE PROPAGANDA.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—A particularly choice example of the false ami / misleading propaganda that is circulated’by the liquor trade lias come to hand iu the form of cuttings from responsible U.S.A. newspapers, reporting on the results of the poll in New Zealand. The cuttings in hand are from papers such as the New Yurie ‘ Times.’ New York ‘ Post,’ New York ‘ World,’ Washington ‘ Herald,' Philadelphia ‘Ledger,’ etc. L iider date, Wellington, New Zealand, November .1 -Ith, an Associated Press message declares that “ Prohibition was deteated by a majority of .UHbUOO, and the (iovenimeut forces under ,J. G. Coates, Prime .Minister, sulfercd a sever.se setback in the triennial parliamentary election to-day. Prohibition was on the ballot in the form of a referendum as to whether it should be continued or whether a licensing system should be adopted. The vote was overwhelming against continuance or Prohibition.” On the strength of this telegraphic message the “ wet ” newspapers iu the United States have delivered little homilies about New Zealand abandoning Prohibition. Mr Arthur Brisbane, the celebrated editor in the Washington ‘Herald, 1 declared: “They found it easy enough to make laws, not so easy to change human nature, and not at 'all easy to assimilate the kind of alcohol distributed under Prohibition.’ The Now York ‘ World ’ declared: “ During the war the drys had thenway for several years.” The. Press Association in New Zealand is not responsible for this fantastic distortion ot taels. At the time of writing I have been unable to trace the message to its source. I have frequently had occasion to expose the misleading cables that have been received by New Zealand newspapers in regard to the United .States of America and elsewhere. It is obvious that, in order to give comfort and aid to the liquor forces elsewhere, the liquor traffic hi New Zealand is sending abroad picturesque and higliiy-imaginativo accounts of the poll taken in November last.—l am, etc.. J. jM.u.to.v Mcuiav, Kxcculivo Secretary, N.Z. Alliance. Wellington. December 22,