LIQUOR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 198, 11 October 1909, Page 5

LIQUOR.

i By A f'ONTKI BI'TOR. Ho is indeed a scor who is unerring in his introspection. The more modest of us ever hesitate to tender an opinion as our own, especially when the ideas to be expressed require language of so recondite and portentous an aspect and withal giving no pleasure to the ear, It is true we live in a bnrbar country rough hewn, and should therefore expect in its products little else. It is known that the fundamental principle which actuates maturity is also that which environs the infant, and it would be absurd therefore to expect of youth an unquestioning ear to the dictation* of his forebears which possibly may be only fogyistic senilities. And hence it will not be thought presumptuous to aver as reasonable, charitable, and well meaning the following views: Out to begin with, then, is a very mountain of difficulty in the way.which almost cuts the breath short here. Please imagine it:—

Well, then, we wish an easy death to all persons advocating liquor licenses in the "Rohe Potae." The admitted exceptions to this wish are even quite a number, to boot: Those who are not determined by a friendly leniency towards the dictates of the palate: those who in their opinion arc not trammelled by the prestige of first conclusions, which arc so often merely family heirlooms: those who do not find it below their dignity to join views w!.'.; the so-called motley populace in their aspirations to less carnal things, and more especially because it is they who have given the initial steps to such movement and therefore such movements more or less fanatical bearing. And death- seeing its final effect one has no desire for anything more severe, although in the case forthcoming it were light punishment, but pun-

ishment is not what we are here interested in—death to those also who from greed of gain use their endeavours to such en J, for of them ail they are the vilest. And from their mouths wlil come language strange to that which is best in the world. Perverted not only by their greed, but by the air of abu-ce which is in the trade they traffic. Strange contumely of speech will enter into every corner where they have authority; newspapers will moralise on the ancient freedom of the Britishers for which he fought and is famed; they will speak of their "green eyed envy" of others (like themselves) who, by the meddling of some fame-hungry mortal, have attained to their ambition a license to freHy use that, draught of the Clods: "Waipiro." Of course they are the people who promulgate labour laws for the bettering of the workman, and an the first to help th«» bleary-faced swagger out of work. Perhaps this is because their trade is not detrimentally affected by "more pay for the workman," and too: by the fact that there are not very many in poor circumstances, at least not wry many who have really gone to the dogs, in whom it is plainly evident that they are in the last straits (lowest swim; of humanity. And too: it is not as though the frjeborn British workman was fond of asking when in need.

But let that be as it may: There are others who advocate the cause of those mentioned above for whom one has not "just indignatoin." Of him or her who think.-* that the community as a whole* would be materially, mentally, and morally better for liquor license; of him or her we will be careful in our estimation. And too: Why should we be alarmed, they being so few whose observations of fiact is so limited. Besides, these people will be moderate who can so sincerely wish for what is really better —they will be deferential, modest, and unpresuming, and will not be forward in denouncing that in which there i:i so much evidence of good for that in which the good is merely assumption "that evil will be alleviated," Now, right logician, please do not turn this last against us, for did you ever see anything really virtuous or goody-goody in liquor. The most you can say for it is that, "more of it in certain places would alleviate another evil" which is really joining two wrongs to effect a right. You doubt it? You say that in trying to displace one evil you create another? Yes, that may be, but the second evil is dependent on the-first. Eradicate the first, and the second will die for want of sustenance. If among us there arc those, who, from experience, have learned the danger of an untimely birth, let them fear not, for indeed there is evidence of sufficient natural force of restraint. It is so ir. almost any such wide sprcaJ social movement.