PROHIBITION.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 102, 27 October 1896, Page 2

PROHIBITION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— Daring late years womai has taken an advanced position in the discussion and settling of social questions, and in no country is this more evident than in New Zealand. Not only has she been active since her enfranchisement, but she was wielding an influence before, and this partly led to her receiving the franchise. Now, whilst there are many social questions to engage her attention the Prohibition question _ is, without doubt, a woman's question, whether she be a sister, wife, or mother. Every woman who loves her home will defend it by voting for Prohibition at the next election. Has Prohibition failed in Clutha? Clutha has never had Prohibition in the true sense of the word. The retail trade iv drink was abolished, but a number of wholesale license's were granted, and so drink was freely sold. Liquor sellers have canvassed the district and sent in all the drink they possibly could, so that Prohibition might be a failure. Then again, Clutha is surrounded by electorates in which drink is still sold by license. Yet, in spite of all this, the Clutha Presbytery Office-Bearers' Association reports — and two-thirds of the entire population are Presbyterians — " There are not the disgraceful scenes there used to be on our streets and highways. Shearers and harvesters can do longer go to the hotel and " knock down " their cheques. The storekeeper gets his accounts paid with greater regalarity and less trouble since Prohibition became law." So that Prohibition is a tradesman's question. Mr A. H. Wallace, writing to the public press about a month ago, gave the following figures, taken from the police court records, and giving the number of arrests for drunken* ness during two years license and 'two years partial Prohibition: — Arrests for drunkenness — Under License, June 1892 94 : At Balclutba, 36 ; at Tapanui, 11; at Clinton, 22; Total, 69. No License, Jane 1894 96 : At Balclutha, 4 ; at Tapanui, 0 ; at Clinton, 1 ; Total, 5. Or where one person has been arrested for drunkenness nnder partial Prohibition, about 14 were arrested under license. These facts speak for themselves. I am, etc., J. Cockee.