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Hokitika Guardian, 6 September 1923, Page 2

Tiik great earthquake in Japan certainly appears to he quite the worst of such disasters which lias ever afflicted Nippon. The two largest cities in the Japanese Empire, Tokyo, the capital, with its population of over five millions, and Osaka, with a population, according to the latest available returns, of close upon two millions, have been devastated. Yokohama, the port of the capital and the first of the Treaty I’orts, with a population of about half a million, has been almost completely destroyed, and neigjiboiiring towns in the area lying between Tokyo amt Osaka, including the important centre of Yokosuka, have suffered terriblo loss, not only of property, but of human lives. Japan, cf course, has a long record of earthquake disasters. In 1887 great damage was done in Tokyo, and in 1894 Yokohama was visited by a violent earthquake with a subsequent lire which inflicted a great deal of injury. But never be-

fore in tho history of Japan as we know it—the record of seismologieal disturbances in that icgion goes back to 1590—hus there been so widespread and tremendous a disaster as that which has recently occurred. With the possible exception of the great earthquake in Lisbon in 1755. and the awful experience which befell San Francisco in 1900, it is doubtful whether any of the large cities of the world have suffered, within the last century at all events, to anything like the same extent rs have Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama in tho last few ‘ days, lows a severe earth shook in a modern Tho conflagration which inevitably folcitv adds to the horror of circumstances. Tiik so-called “dry” districts of New Zealand under ihc no-license laws manage to maintain quite a decent thirst, despite the proclivities of the districts to vote “prohibition” at electron time. According to a parliamentary paper, Mr Ixitt’s annual demand for a return of liquor sent into each no-liwense district for the year 1922 shows the following figures;

Grand total ... 338.719 A further paper discloses the drinking excess to which the “dry" districts go. X return has l>een presented to Parliament showing the number of convictions for drunkerffiess last year in no-licens® districts. The record is as follows: Ohinemuri. 21 convictions; Masierton, 33; Ashburton, 45; Oamaru 47 ; Out-ha 20; Mata lira. 21; Invercargill, 61 ; total, £4B. Four persons under 21 years wore convicted; 16 between 21 and 25; 178 over 25; while in «d cases the age was not stated. I*igures such as these indicate the farce of “nolicense” in so-called prhoibition areas.

District* Gallons. Ashburton ... 27,71.1 tlutlia ... 12.021 Eiien ... 10,312 Grey Lynn ... 4,98-1 Invercargill ... 102,590 Master ton ... 39.084 11 ut» lira ... 35,381 Onniaru ... 31.923 Ohinoimui ... 15,671 ltoskill ... 5,300 ■Wellington Suburbs ... 10.020 Wellington South ... 8.505