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Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1917, Page 2

True prospect* of a general election ir New Zealand arc growing more evi dent as the days go by. Sir Josopl Ward, speaking on the liquor questior in the House last week, said “ho wsu of opinion that the people of the coun try should have an opportunity of de eiding tho issue within the next, sn months.” That period would bring the date to the approximate time fore casted in those columns lately. It n hardly likely'that the polling will b< confined to the licensing issue only but that the larger issue of representation in the House should be deter mined. We shall have shortly sonu knowledge of the new electoral boundaries, and tho changes to be brough! about thereby, will involve some shuffling of the cards. Under the new districts, some existing seats will disappear, while others will be created, so that this fact alone seems to necessitate a genera lelection. Ot course it can be fought on one issue alone, the winning of the war; but it is manifest that there will ho considerable changes in the personnel of Parliament. The country will still require to retain its National Government for-tho time being but its Cabinot composition is sure to show some, if not considerable changes. The main policy must remain t-lic same, except that it might well be pursued more intensely, and with more regard for tho masses than for class or individual. The soldiers’ vote must be a National element in the election, and provision must he made to ,'record it effectively. Indeed it might be given a dual power to help account for those who have gone under in the heroie service of their country, for surely the soldiers should have a special voice in the government of the country they have saved. Whkn the next licensing poll comes to pass it n °t unlikely that it will he taken on a different issue to that of tho past. Mr. Massey has indicated that the. country might have the opportunity of deciding whether compensation will be given following national prohibition. This would be an important step, hut one which was essentially fair. Then there is the larger question ol State Control, which some moderate leagues are urging. To bar the sale of liquefr- altogether in an island country such as this, would be a dangerous experiment affecting the future prosperity. Such a step would cut off New Zealand entirely from a large sliaro of the world’s traffic. Isolated as we are by distance, we could beoomo more isolated still by enforcing a state of prohibition on all within our shores. To a vast stream of traffic we would become a country to he avoided, as though plagued, and other countries would grow prosperous with the trade and intercourse, we shut out by the harriers of prohibition. Not only that, we would not make the world any better for tho sacrifices we are making, because we would ho but a small plot as against the vast continents which catered for people’s tastes in a reasonable way. Regulation and moderation under State control would ho a haven from the consequences of national prohibition. It would ho a bold experiment certainly, hut one of promising success financially. Ijfc should result in a great internal improvement, helping to make the

country more and tacro attractive! to travellers, instead of repulsive. It would bo a question of considerable ini tial cost, though, but even in these wartimes there Would be ways and means of overcoming that hurdle with the prospect of the profits ahead.