THE LIQUOR QUESTION

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1920, Page 3

THE LIQUOR QUESTION

AMERICAN EXPERIENCES. | AUSTRALIAN & N.Z UaBLR ASSOCIATION] (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, October 21The ‘“Morning Post’s’ 1 Washington fcorrespondent reports Maurice Low in the Philadelphia “Public Ledger” states that after exhaustive investigations he concludes prohibition in the largo cities especially New York, is a farce. This is partly admitted by the prohibition authorities. A majority of New YorkV erß are against prohibition, resisting the law which a minority enforced on the majority. They see no virtue in compulsory abstention, and. do not regal'd evasions of the law as a crime. Other factors are, the venality of the men appointed to enforco the law and tiie fact that illicit traffic is most profitable. Regulations permitting chemists to prescribe alcohol are abused and. an extensive traffic exists in forged permits. Low desoribes the operations of the New York whisky ring as efficiently organised, bringing buyers and sellers together. Largo deals in whisky, ranging from thirty-two to eighty shillings a quart are easily arranged. Ingenious ruses are adopted and the authoritiea claim they are powerless lo stop illicit liquor dealing. LIQU OR~PLEBISCITE. (Received This Day at 8.80 a.m.) VANCOUVER, Oct 21. A plebiscite yesterday resulted:— Continuance of prohibition ... 46,000 Government sale of liquor .... 75,000 Six hundred small returns are to come. CHANGING TO “WET.” (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) OTTAWA, Oct. 20. _ British Columbia reversed the prohibition vote of four years ago, by a majority of twenty-four thousand, m a total population of two hundred thousand. It is claimed the vote shows people are sick of the system whereby liquor could be obtained through physicians prescriptions, for alleged ailments, which often did not exist. British Columbia and Quebec are now the only '' wet provinces in Canada.