HOW TO VOTE

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1605, 18 November 1905, Page 2

HOW TO VOTE

i (To the Editor of the Times.) 1 Sir, —If a warning noto to the electors of Waiapu " bow to voto” were required it is supplied in tbe' latest advertisement 1 from the advocates of no-lioense. It is I sufficient to make the moderate man’s hair turn grey. For tbe edifioation of the thoughtful seotion of the oomraunity let j mo reproduce a few of the reasons given I to intelligent electors not to vote for con- | tinuanoe. (1) It is unlawful to give free I liquor to a man on the day of tho election I with a view to influencing his vote. (2) It is dishonorable to supply free liquor on I tho eleetion day, for the following reasons: (a) It may bo done with the intention of giving men tho craving for the liquor, so that they may voto acoordidg to : the dio* tates of that oraving, and not aooording to the dictates of conscience, (b) The giving of liquor may rob a man of his will and oaus9 him to vote in the opposite direction to what he intended to do when in hip | sober senses, (c) If that is done it i equivalootjto depriving the drinker of hi vote, and giving two votes to the person who supplied the drink. Thuß theoontest

I becomes not a one-man-ono-vote contest, but sends us baok to the oldeu times when property qualification gave one man many voteß. And so demooraoy dies." And tbe I advertisement ooneludes by asking any perton who sees liquor being supplied in that way on the day of the election to I send full particulars to the energetic retary, whoso address is at a certain postoffioo box. Suroly, Mr Editor, these can.- 1 I not bo tho tactics adopted by moo who I pose as the spirital guardians of the people I and if they are it ia well nigh time tent I they were, exposed. Is it any wonder I that the churches of Gisborne are empty. The hotel tra!e of Gisborne as far bb I have had an opportunity of inspecting it, has been well conducted, and the aspersions cast upon the gentlemen oonneoted with it should not be tolorajtefl by those members of the community, who have any senge at all pf fair play. The insertion of suoh an advertisement as that whioh has been issued by tho No-License League Jg. not only a disgraoo to the party from whioh it emanates, but is a direct iosuit to the intelligence of the community. The amount of good that is likely to result from it will be made clear to your readers at the forthcoming poll, fur I feci amc that it will cause many of tbe moderate and indifferent. to studiously keep dear of ■hose who advooate suoh extreme and 'anatio viewß.—l am eto., “TQDERATIQN."