LIQUOR QUESTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 123, 4 June 1901, Page 3

LIQUOR QUESTION.

A DEBATE.

Tun debate on tho liquor question following upon an address by Mr W. Douglas Lysnar at tho Mutual Improvement Society was continued last night, Mr It. Johnston presiding. Mr It. Macduff Birrell led off the discussion. He said that ho was opposed to prohibition, but as a remedy for the present evils suggested that the liquor traffic should be put under' municipal control. This, ho contended, would ensuro good liquor being supplied, and tho personal interest being taken from it, tho evils attendant upon drink would disappear in a short period. The Rex'. B. F. Rothwell spoko from personal experience of the Clutha, holding that prohibition had been effective. The opinions of tho people there could bo judged from the fact that the Clutha people had again voted prohibition after having had experience. Mrs Scott had objection to no-license, on the ground Unit it would lead to more drink being introduced into tho home. She spoko in favor of total prohibition.

Mr Stafford made a strong speech in favor of prohibition. Ho criticised the remarks of Mr I.ysuar in x-egard to the Clutha, and contended that Mr Lysnar was not in the district mentioned long enough to find out the true state of affairs. The speaker said that there was a general air of prosperity about Clutha since it had been under no-license. He was confident that Mr Lysnar was much biassed in the report- he made regarding the Clutha district-. He thought that if they went in for municipal control, that self-interest being eliminated, in a few years prohibition would be carried.

After a few remarks from Mr R. Cogav, Mr Lysnar replied. He said that all he had endeavored to do was to collect the best views of other persons and put them before the people in the fairest way. He claimed that he was in no way biassc d.. He had been led to study the question by the admissions of prohibitionists that prohibition was a partial failure, and suggesting that its effect could be judged by Clutha. He had taken the hint-, and had

gone to study the question for himself, with the result that ho had come back more than .ever convinced against prohibition. With regard to the American experiences of prohibition, ho pointed out that none of the laws were really of aprohibitive nature, and several of those states which had tried them had reverted to the original order of things. Ho was not at present inclined to favor municipal control because it was open to the exercise of patronage and other abuses, and would disturb local politics. What they required was remedial laws for the present state of affairs, and the nature of these he endeavored to If any better way were - suggested he was quite willing to fall in with them, and to alter his views accordingly, but tho more he enquired the more he became convinced against prohibition. A vote of thauks was accorded to Mr

Lysnar, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman. A lively interest was taken in the debate, and at times the discussion became very animated.