PARS ABOUT PROHIBITION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 402, 7 October 1911, Page 3

PARS ABOUT PROHIBITION.

(Published by Arrangement.)

Bv "Crusader.'' At one time -the Liquor Traffic used to bounre working men into doing its behests, but in these days of its decay and destruction, its methods have changed. It is no longer the loudvoiced tyrant, but the cringing, tricky "Uriah Help" of modern vested interests. As to the notorious Pagan, the propsect of death was full of terrors and all art must be employed to stay the dread hour, so the Liquor Traffic in this land is making desperate attempts to purchase a respite, and in some cases an entire reprieve from popular justice. However, the unsavoury tactics of the Trade reveal how rotten it is at heart. The public have the discrimination to see at last that behind its new mask of Mr Plausible, it is the very old case of "the devil was sick the devil a monk would be." Behind a shallow veneer of great wordy promises the Trade is trying to hide it ugly murderous face. But such ghastly efforts at disguise are so patent that the effect produced is more than ever hideous, and as in the case of all its tricks and wiles, the Liquor Party only thereby runs more swiftly to destruction. Once more the election drawing near and the Trade is earnestly trying to blind the public and with large money beginning tn plead for its pestilent life before the Bar oc Public Opinion. Already its morality has been exhibited as a spectacle to men, and the Dominion knows what to expect largely. Thus it is hardly surprising to note, however, great the disquiet evoked, that the Trade is still at the old game of perjury and bribery in its own interests.

This last week has given the public of New Zealand especially the workers —perhaps the darkest and most hateful revelation of the nefarious methods of a Trade which truly must be the arch-type of all darkness and abominations.

Those who read the press would note how the Licensed Victuallers' Association of Auckland have been approaching the Miners' Union of the "dry" Obinemuri elcetorate with the idea of getting restoration of license therein. The methods adopted put one in mind of the attentions of the pythus which salivas its victim all over before swallowing it! In one hand the Trade carried in its request, with the other it pushed forward a sickening bribe. The Trade came to one of the most decent bodies of men in the Dominion with its absolutely indecent sugestions and tried to buy the'vote of the Union, with a promise which was a scandal to civilisation. For the privilege of preying' up the miners the Trade said it was willing to pay into their pockets —from whence it had been taken —the money received in the retail sale of liquor! Such was the "mess of pottage" offered sensible men. It is amazing that such a barefaced brazen piece of knavery could be openly perpetrated to-day! But what cares the Liquor Traffic for today or any other day so long as its own day is assured? There is no doubt that such an approach to the Wa : hi Union is a direct insult to the manhood and mind of all intelligent people in this land. The Trade manifests therein its opinion about the people, it thinks them evidently as corrupt and blackguardly as itself. But as in every case concerning the people, the Liquor Traffic is deluded by its own debauchery. The Waihi miners refused to swallow such bait, and like sensible men, gain the commendation of all lovers of decency and right. The miners know well whom they are dealing with. They realise that the breath of the Trade is perjury and that it would promise heaven for the privilege of establishing hell. Just before the election before last the Trade in terror of its life, promised the Miners a reduction in the price of liquor if they would vote continuance. They did so, and certainly the price came down for a time before the election but went up again to the old price immediately after the election was over. Surely the Liquor Traffic must think men astounding fools when it dares to again bribe with promises ! Men do not forget such knavery nor the blackness of its dark record. Waihi gained No-License after a great contest and fierce struggle; it was a glorious victory and marks out Waihi as one of the most uniquituous in the world. A community of 7000 people without a canteen is, perhaps unparalled. Waihi is fully convinced as to the benefits of No-license and a demonstration to New Zealand that working men can live, and not only live better and brighter lives without the intoxicating liquor. The ministers of religion in the Auckland province have just issued a manifesto to the electors in the interests of No-license. The document is signed by 156 clergymen of the various Protestant denominations of this province, and is an exhibition of an almost unanimous and united appeal to the people of the north to grasp the opportunity soon to be presented in the interests of the drunkards that need rescuing, the sufferers that need helping and the children that need protecting, and to vote the Liquor Traffic out by STRIKING OUT THE TOP LINE on BOTH PAPERS at the COMING POLL.