LABOUR VERSUS LIQUOR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 400, 30 September 1911, Page 7

LABOUR VERSUS LIQUOR.

(By Published by Arrangement.)

i (By "Crusader.')' j Phillip Snovvden, M.P., recently ! made the following statement.: , "The Labour movement is not a j class movement, except that it is at i the present a movement mainly of the workers and that its programme j aims principally, but not at ail exclusively, at improving the condition of the workers. But in reality the Labour Party represents ideas and a policy in regard to social economy and morblity and it claims that its proposals, based on these id-.as, are calculated to benefit society as a whole." Such statement will meet with wide approval in this Dominion. Now, itproposals calculated to benefit labour are bound to benefit society as a who!- 1 , j it is stiil more true that what will j ! benefit society as a whole will also J benefit labour. ! There is no reform so calculated to j benefit labour owing to it benefitting society as a whole, as the total abolition of the Liquor Traffic. Like many other great and hmuanitarian reforms, the Prohibition movement was born of the working class, it was nursed in the lap of "the People," and now grown strong enough to work effectively in the truest and best interests of that class of which it has ever been the best friend. Labour leaders in Great Britain are to-day making common cause with the stalwarts in Temperance Reform. They realise that there is one great j enemy to Social, Political and Econo- j mic Reform and that is "The Trade." j With Richard Cobden they hold that

"the Temperance Cause lies at the foundation of all Social and Political Reform." Like a great giant Labour is awakening from long years of sleep to grapple with this national foe! The workers have issued their ultimatum to the Traffic and are determined to win. Forced to it by public opinion, the Trade is admitting that it recognises its swiftly approaching boom, for the following wail was lately uttered in the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette: "The days are rapidly passing. . . . Now is the

time for action. If it be much delayed, there will come a day of rude (?) awakening that may spell disaster and ruin to all who are engaged in the Trade." The only disaster that will come to society will be the releasing of some £6,000,000 annually spent in liquor for better use, the ruin, the prevention of the 7000 drunkards created last year from being a further burden and shame to the State.

Although the majority of workers in New Zealand are well posted as to arguments for the benefits of Prohibition there is still a minority unfavourable, that have to be educated as to their own interests in the matter. All workers should remember that for every sovereign spent in liquur only one shilling and fourpence is paid in wages to Trade employees who number 2972 persons. Six shillings and fourpence goes in all other expenses, while the Trade "takes"—not earns — 12 shillings and 4d profit. Think what this rneas in £6,000,000. Whose friend is the Trade?

Bear in mind that £30,0000,00 has been wasted in drink during the last five years and help to save the nations wealth at the coming poll. Do you realise that the total value of all land, buildings and machinery owned by the principal productive industries in New Zealand is only 121 millions pounds, while the money spent on liquor between two elections is IS million pounds sterling? Do you know that the total advances to workers, total assets of all New Zealand Building Societies, total assets of New Zealand Friendly Societies, total annual premiums for life, accident and industrial insurance, made a combined total of £5,967,228, while a moderate estimate of one year's drink bill is £6,000,000? Do you know that the money wasted on liquor in 1900 would have paid ail the running cost of the railways, carried ail goods and passengers free and left enough to pay 21 per cent, interest on full cost of construction?

Do you realise that during the last 67 years the Dominion has spent on liquor at a moderate estimate) £120,000,000 and has borrowed £75,000,000 to. keep the pot boiling? If a man spends in business and pleasure £ 120 a year for liquor, and has to borrow £75 a year to keep business going, can he expect to succeed? What then of the country? The principal productive industries of the Dominion pay in wages ££4,000,000 while the liquur waste absorbs £6,000,000. Without alarm, just ask what a commercial slump would mean to New Zealand. Possibly there is no country which wou'd feel such a test more seveiely. Further, the £4,000,000 employs 45,000 men, the £6,000,000 waste if

spent in productive works would employ another 67,000 men, whereas at present it only employs 2972 persons. To many the revenue is a sou tee of vexation and doubt. A little investigation, however, puis all fear to flight. Just remember the following little comparison for future use. No worker should be deluded with the ridiculous catch cry "What about thr : revenue?" We shall explain about the revenue as follows: £6,000,000 is received by the poor brewer and publican, which is spent as under:--

£263,000 material (N.Z. Year Book). £402,000 imports money sent out of country and equai to more than half the revenue derived from Traffic. £756,000 Dominion revenue.

I £IOO,OOO local revenue, rates and j licensing fees. I £254,000 10 per cent, on capital value • of bars and breweries for sundries. I £3550,00 in wages of total employees [ —2IOO in bars and se ling and 872 in breweries. Total expenditure 1-3 millions). Total profit (very fat)—£3,666,666 (3 2-3 millions) profit brewer and publicans! The Colonial Treasurer estimates that the loss to State, of liquor revenue, in event of National Prohibition being carried would be £BOO,OOO. But the estimated cost to the State of the Traffic is £900,000, so workers are taxed to make up the deposit. If the money expended on liquor was expended on ordinary dutiable goods the customs revenue would yield £1,125,000; so that the immediate benefit of Prohibition would be £325,000 for the Treasury. The workers of New Zealand believe in the doctrine of Mr Gladstone when he said to a deputation of brewers: "Gentlemen, give me a sober people, not wasting their money upon strong drink, and I shall know how to provide my revenue'.'

With thousands of their fellow citizens the Labour Party mean to vote out the Liquor Traffic from the land by

STRIKING OUT THE TOP LINE ON BOTH PAPERS AT THE COMING POLL.