No License.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3631, 31 March 1906, Page 2

No License.

(TO editor of manawatu herald.) Sir, —We all believe that this | true science of government consists in helping up the thrifty small man and preventing the grasping capitalist getting more than his fair share. The drink trade makes perhaps more wealthy men than any other business, and in making these wealth makes an immense greater multitude “poverty stricken" and part of the “submerged tenth,” The question now is, does the closing of the liquor bar help the wage earned in thrift? The Post Office Savings Bank figures for 1904 of Ashburton and Port Chalmers supply a striking answer to that query. In the year under review the excess of deposits over withdrawals in the whole Dunedin postal district (in which Port Chalmers is included) amounted to (399In the same period Port Chalmers had an excess of ,£7757. As the Dunedin district has a population of about 100,000 and Port Chal 4 mers only about 3000 it will thus be seen that a No License population of one thirtieth had one sixth of the total savings of the Dunedin Postal district. Ashburton provides a still more striking example. The Christchurch Postal district withdrew ,£11955 more than was paid in during 1904, but in the same period Ash-s burton (which is included in that district) paid in more than it withdrew. Thus while the whole postal district of about ioo,» 000 persons went back in savings £16,279 (exclusive of Ashburton) that city with only about 4000 population gained in savings £4324, Thus does No License prove that the bursting up of a monopoly is “good for the masses.” I am, etc., G. B. Nicholas. Dunedin, March 23rd.