BOLTS FROM BALCLUTHA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 395, 13 September 1911, Page 3

BOLTS FROM BALCLUTHA.

(Published by Arrangement.)

(By "Crusader.")

o WONDERFUL TESTIMONY TO NO-LICENSE.

A large meeting public was held at Balclutha on 16th August, 1911, when the following RESOLUTION WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY:— "This meeting of citizens of Balclutha, which has now enjoved No License for a period of OVER 17 YEARS, desires to reaffirm its entire confidence in the vaiue of the NO-LICENSE LAW. Under this law our town has steadily improved both in its law-abiding character and its material progress. To-day we :>re practically WITHOUT CRIME or an empty house in the Borough, the wail of the drunkard's wife and child is not heard in our midst, and we are nut raising a new CROP OF DRUNKARDS from amongst our young men. While we thank God for these blessings and we COMMEND LOCAL NO-LICENSE to the people of New Zealand; we also commend as a still greater achievement the NATIONAL PROHIBITION of the Liquor Traffic in 1911. W r e believe that suc-h a step would bring nothing but blessing and prosperity to our fair Dominion." Can we wonder at such a resolution when the following is the RECORD OP CRIME FOR THREE YEARS. IS9O. 2909, 1910. Drunkenness 2 3 2 Obscene language 0 0 0 Assaults 0 10 Indecent acts 0 0 0 Vagrancy 0 0 0 Burglary 0 0 2 Thefts 0 1 0 Breach of promise 2.0 0 Totals 4 5 4 Is it NOT AMAZING that, in the face of such figures the Licensed Victuallers' Association, both in New Zealand and Australia, still have the impudence to say No-License increases crime? SEVEN DRUNKARDS IN THREE YEARS!—and these were all arrested as they came off the train FROM A LICENSE DISTRICT. It is nearly five years since a Balclutha resident was convicted of drunkenness.

The Balclutha lock-up was not used for 51 weeks—August 1910, to July 1911.

Clutha was the first electoraate to carry No-License in New Zealand, and has stood the test for 17 years, and in spite of all the astounding libels of the Liquor Traffic, she lives and thrives better than ever. The"Traffic" are hopeless so Ear as Clutha is concerned, and at present leave the e'ecturates severely alone. The "Traffic" mean to leave such obstinate "NoLicense Sinners" to their doom—and is devoting its attention to the more recently '-'dry" electorates! Remember the great BOGEY OF SLY-GROG, the Liquor Traffic Party hold up to frighten the people with. The Sergeant of Police was asked what "about the sly-grogging in the electorate?" and he replied, "very little—if any. Hardly trace able. There is no Mocker system' in Clutha." He was also asked whether the farmers had lost by No-License. He replied: "They are a Scotch community, and they'll see to the right and proper thing existing here." The Town Clerk, Mr Mitchell, says that the rate on annual value was from 1893 to 1903 Is in the £, with the exception of 1895, when it was Is 3d. Since then at times the rate has been 2|d in the £ on the unimproved value, with the exeption of the year 1904 and 1905, when it was 3d. No-License did not permanently raise the rates.

The quantity of liquor going into a No-License area always apppear larger than it is, simply because it is more apparent. In "License" days it was a BIG barrel with small label, and was passed unobserved, now it is SMALL barrel with large and glaring label and the Party says, "My, look at the liquor going in!" We know in our own district of Te Kuiti, that the amount of liquor imported is magnified immensely simply because most of it is consumed round the area of our main street, and thus its effects are more evident to the public. Again, Mr Isitt, M.P., said in his address on Sunday night the "liquor crowd are drinking harder than ever to-day." Why? Simply because, in the face of all the overwhelming evidence as to the error of the drinking custom and the magnificent testimonies forthcoming as to the great benefits of personal and electoral prohibition, they must drink harder to stifle conviction and drown conscience. Further, many are drinking and drinking wgsSiy, and are doing so simply because th'ny have determined to vote tor national prohibition NEXT NOVEMBER, and are "rushing in before the Liquor Traffic closes down for ever!" Queer, but true!

One of the greatest surprises the Parliament of New Zealand ever received cams off quite recently. A statement was laid on the table of the House shuwing the quantity of liquor consumed in No-License areas as cornpared with Licensed areas electorates. The result showed as follows: —■ The value of liquor consumed per head of the population of New Zealand is thus:— Dominion ... £-3 33s l.{d License areas ... £4 3s 6d No-License areas ... 16s 3d. What about No-License not diminishing consumtion of drink and consequently abolishing largely its degrading and destructive evils? VOTERS! Remember T. E. Taylor's last message: "National Prohibition is worth living for and worth dying for," and STRIKE OUT THE TOP LINE ON BOTH PAPERS,