“GROWING DAY BY DAY.”

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1922, Page 1

“GROWING DAY BY DAY.”

WHAT WILL IT BE BY ELECTION DAY. New Zealand’s drink bill is a theme upon which the prohibitionists can build many romances. But never has there been such an elastic “statistic.” The “official estimates” of this country’s expenditure upon liquor—“officially” prepared by the New Zealand Alliance’s own “expert”—is £7,500,000 That figure has been advertised by press and platform for many months. Now, however, the poll is drawing near, and the enthusiasm of these people spurs them to greater effort. Hence Mr L. M. Isitt in the House said that this estimate was “far too low—it must lie at least £9,000,000.” Next came an advetisement figuring it at £11,000.000 and now we get “Vanguard,” the doleful organ of tho party with a big headline which boosts the bill to £12,000,000. All this within three or four week-

As there are still a good many more weeks to go before voters record their decision, no doubt we shall have a drink hill as big as the national debt by that time!

It is, of course, usual to stick to a “statistic” once you’ve worked it out. hut the New Zealand Alliance has always exercised its right to vary its arithmetic as often as it pleases. Tt wouldn’t do to take the “estimates” of prohibitionists at their face value. Goodness only knows what they were last week or what they will be next week.

All statistics, notwithstanding, the fact remains that this is a sober nation quite fit to be trusted with its glass of beer. Vote Continuance. 53.