“GROWING DAY BY DAY.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4492, 15 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-bias there been such an elastic “ statistic.” The “ Official estimates ” of this epuntry’s expenditure upon liquor—“officially” prepared by the New Zealand Alliance’s pwn “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. Mi, Tsitt in the House said that this estimate was 1 “far too low —it must be at least £9,000,000.” Next came an advertisement figuring it at £11,000,000, and now we get “Vanguard,” the doleful organ of the party, with! a big headline which boosts the bill to £12,000,000.

All this within three or four weeks! As there are still a good many more weeks to go before voters record their decision, no doubt we shall have a drink bill 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, but the New Zealand Alliance has always exercised its right to vary its' arithmetic as often as it. pleases. It 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. AH statistics notwithstanding, the fact remains that this is l a sober nation, quite fit to be trusted witlh its glass ofi beer. Vote Restoration and National Continuance.*