LICENSING POLL

Hokitika Guardian, 25 April 1919, Page 1

LICENSING POLL

THE AUSTRALIAN VIEWPOINT,

SYDNEY, April 16,

No news that lias come out of New. Zealand in years past, not even the tragic story of the ’flu, has been received here with such interest as the result of the voting in the prohibitoin referendum. The slight lead gained; first of all by the prohibitionists, and its gradual disappearance as the soldiers’ votes came in, is just the sort of thing that appeals to the public mind here . Last Saturday afternoon when owing to the epidemic, there were no races or other popular diversions, one newspaper made a hit by featuring the New Zealand prohibition figures, then in process of alteration by the soldiers, and tile public “rushed” it.

New South Wales expects to have a prohibition fight of its own on its hands presently and those who dislike the antiliquor idea find solid comfort in the New Zealand vote. “If New Zealand which has always played with the idea of prohibition, cannot cany it now,” they say, “New South Wales, which has never shown a partiality for such re_ strictions, is not likely to carry it.” Tlie local prohibitionists, of course, are gloomy, and frankly confess themselves disappointed, and some are inclined to hotly criticise the soldiers.

It is a thorny subject, with a certain amount of back-fire about it, and so the editors leave it alone. The “ Evening News,” however, which has always disliked prohibitionists, comments forcibly: “The overwhelming vote of tlio soldiers against prohibition,’’ it says, “discloses the fact that the ;anti-liquor crusade Jfe least popular among the men, who are in their prime. Either the great bulk of the men who are fittest to do the work of the community are drinkers, or else they resent tlie attempt to limit their freedom to drink.”

“Prohibitionists on this side of tlie Tasman Sea will read the New Zealand verdict with an additional cause for gloom,” proceeds tlie “News,” New Zealand has no wino industry, whereas in New South Wales vine-growing is not only strongly established, but is one of our industries for which a great ex. pansion can be confidently predicted. There is practically unlimited market for Australian wines, and Australia has practically unlimited resources for producing them. Wine-growing offers a sphere of usefulness to a great number our returned soldiers, and {lie existence of such an industry has a powerful effect in stimulating a score of other industrial activities.”