PROHIBITION FRUIT

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2168, 26 August 1907, Page 4

PROHIBITION FRUIT

[To the Editor.] Air not "Another Clvi;i»tinn” a t'riflo’ilk><?iral? "While apparently defending the prohibition lecturer, Muss •Miiicutt, lie refers to the .authority which the Master nave .to .those whom He sent out to teach the nations, and he quote" -u f '‘He that roeeiveth you, receiveJi Ale. . . AV1i0..... ..... vt . ,<i •!! not receive you nor .hear v uir W. ;h : t -I’inlt he more tolerable in .the dav of judgment for Sot join ~„a (!i'.‘ U o' , ‘i ah than for them.” lltllt M,:, f Mmentt. .in her advocacy at prohibition, declared that the British ■race d : d their ovniigchs'iig w.i.tih grog, „.. ,1 t |. o f.iir he seemed ho produce on my mental vision was .that of a iiuis-ionarv wi'tli a whisky botitle mi •me hand and a Ilihle in the other. Again- t that charge Dr. Collins tilled t-r defend the race and the niission,u v Alias M urcutit had no message for'the Heathen Jan ; lie was perfect; for England and .the English she had no word of praise. I do not question the authority .divinely given 'to the teacher sent out i|,v the Master, but I do object to (the missionary forgetting Ins message while elidesvoning to satisfy his gieod for political power. Bv tlie wav, among other fruits or prohibition which have ripened well .in .Ashburton came cert aim very extraordinary police methods. As these have found favor hi all our prohibition districts, they may be looked upon as among the necessary adjuncts of prohibition. Some time ago it .was currently reported, and never . officially contradicted, that 2i private detectives made a raid on Ashburton. I cannot vouch for the accuracy ot the number, hut I do know that on one occasion no less than lo raided the King Country. .All over the colony where prohibition obtains tins method of espionage is being adopted. AVhyP I ask. You will say that at as to suppress the drink evil, but 1 tell you that .the sworn duty of .these men was to induce the neoplc to break the law. To do this the more effectively .they assumed all manner of disguises, and imado tall kinds of false ami lying representations. They succeeded, and several convictions followed. -Is tllns fair to the police force? Is 'it pardonable according to the strict rules of ethics? AA r otihl it he tolerated on any other plea ? If a policeman went forth .and .induced men to steal or to forgo or to murder, would such conduct be commendable, think '.von, simply on the grounds that the. policeman subsequently convicted his partner .in crime? I must 'be pardoned if I have no relish for prohibition fruit. —I am, etc., “A CHRISTIAN. ’ ’