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Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1595, 27 October 1905, Page 1

Thus the Christchurch Press on the local option polls : —“Throughout the whole period of its existence, this journal has assiduously and resolutely fought for liberty in its broadest sense, and we have never disguised our opinion that no majority, however large or noisy, possesses the right to dictate to a minority on any matter relating to creed, habit, custom, or use. The power of a majority only becomes transformed from tyranny into a just legislative act when it attaoks a habit, custom, or use that is wrong per se, Sumptuary customs and habits, such as the use of alcohol in reasonable [quantities, cannot by any well-balanced mind of average intelligence be regarded as coming within the category of such acts, and we know of no leading writer on jurisprudence or ethics who has ever asserted the right of a majority to prohibit the moderate use of alcohol, or, what is tantamount to the same thing, to restrain and prevent the sale of it to those who desire to purchase it in reasonable quantities for use in a reasonable manner.”

It is, however, a duty incumbent upon all who value their personal liberty, and who do not desire to see a general attack made upon other customs and amusements which are tabooed by prohibitionists, to vote against No-license. Judging from their attitude in regard to indulgences of every kind, there is some ground for believing that the propagandists of the prohibition party would, when the traffic in strong drink had been abolished,turn their attention to smoking, the theatre, the racecourse, possibly also the ballroom, and in turn seek to vote them out of existence. Christchurch Press.

Does the increase of the No-license vote carry with it a corresponding diminution of the consumption of alcoholic liquor P asks the Christchurch Press. The answer is in the negative. Some months ago the fiev. Edward Walker, a recognised prohibition authority, published an elaborate table in the “ Otago Daily Times,” in which he showed that over 600,000 gallons more beer, and upwards of 50,009 gallons more spirits were consumed in New Zealand in 190! than

in 1902. Clearly, therefore, an increased prohibition vote does not necessarily imply a decrease in consumption .