GET THIS ON YOUR MIND.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1925, Page 1

GET THIS ON YOUR MIND.

RF.MF.MRKR AT THE POI.LIXf BOOTH.

It- was decided tiie other day, in a Federal Court of the F.S.A., that a Prohibition officer may seize baggage and examine it. or inav enter a house and search it, WITHOUT A WARIt ANT. Needle's to say. the New Zealand Prohibit ion Party has not announced t-li.is decision. It would far rather that the electors knew nothing about it : it ipieers their pitch—gives the lie to their vapottritigs. They know that the law they are trying In force upon this Dominion is modelled on the American law. they know that it is just as severe, more narrow, and more far-reaching titan the American law ; they know that i‘will operate just its the American law is operating- to the destruction of personal liberty, to the increase of crime it ml general lawlessness. If it were not a serious and pathetic situation one could laugh at it. The poor, shori-sigiited meddler in other people's affairs would he happy when tut oll'icer broke into a man's home or opened a. man's suitcase and lottnd a bottle of brandy. Me would feel that tile glorious result justifies the enormity of ihe met hod. Personal liberty is a matter of transcendental importance. The security of Government, the existence of civilisation depends upon its maintenance. Hold fast to liberty. Strike out the two bottom lines.—!l.