PROHIBITION MEETING.

Otaki Mail, 24 July 1922, Page 2

PROHIBITION MEETING.

I FIRST SHOT Oi' THE CAMPAIGN. . | 'The lirst siiot in connection with this | coming lieeSising election was tired ai I Otaki on fridiij, evening, when Air ii. ' O. Burton, ALA., spoAe on llic advantages of prohibition, i'rior to op>en.ing ae wa» iutr»uaceu by lue i.e>. n. I*. iveail, who regiuutU mat me notice of meeting nail Ijccu so s.,e.t. lie poinicd out Li.;,l ;.»e p.oiiibiuon ■.question was going to be a arc one, ....a leterring to 0.m.-joi donee, appearing in tne "Mail" regretted that the •■ ■; > ler had taken sttca an aeUoti. lie kr.e^ Jon be co isidereJ rcasai.abß a.u feu ihe good of the country they all lovea, -vii ir.e prohibitionists sougtit to do «s) • o appeal to ilie intelligence ol tiie people. Mr Burton said the prohibition!, is weic asking the public to think of the greatest question thai was presenting itself at the coming poll, ami one which would attract more attention than anything eise. ike liquor party were now giving treely. aim wline llie licensed victuallers of Uuuu hue! g:\eu a cup tor football coinpctiliou \*ctiiug- ! tool licensed victuallers had given j._jv . to the relurnca soldiers, iu-d an-.. .™-ju for the unemployed. la refeiiing to the correspondence in me ".uuii-" he sunt it showeU iraiikß v. Lai elass umeii kepi the liquor ualiic going those interested and the moderates. .\u for tiie ■ minority vote, Suit asked that thy majority rule. The liquor paity intended spending much monev this vear to light the matter, and intended making a desperate struggle for supremacy. The poll to be taken, said the speaker, would be on the same lines a- last election; there would be three issues on the ballot paper, and prohibition ' would have to liave a majority over the ! other two issues to carry the day. | .State control, one ol the issues, was j really a dead one, and was only on the ballot paper to draw a red herring 1 j across the trail so as to get continuance. There was no chance, he -aid. of state eonlrol being carried it was hopelessly dead because it was :ee a practical issue and could not he- seriously considered. In consequence there wore really only two issue.- and by voting State control one voted for continuance. After referring further in reference to prohibitionists being sidetracked Mr Burton made- leferencw 10 the misery the drink traffic had made in many hftmes, and said while many i had been robbed of joy through il others had suffered in other ways, lie believed in wiping out tin: liquor, and said as long as men cotihl secure it so would misery be caused. He made an appeal for prohibition: no one should have any desire i ri see th.- country go back. They also had their ie.-poiisibiJi-ties and should do what they knew to be right. There was a linn ctyivir-tiou thai the country would lie better without liquor. The liquor party contended that if prohil.it ion was carried the country would lose considerable revenue, there would be law-bicaki.ug and various other offences. 'A voice: ''(.ei off tin- whisky box! "J Mr !!;:■- ton, continuing, said lie appealed '■■> ivai- required tie Jiquoi fraiih woubL have to be wiped out. J: liquor w.n tof do;, riy with n would ha-' th<strangle hold on them ?..- in some .ther countries. Mr Burton emphasised • : ■. iact that "the trade " «n, going to make a big light, and that : ~ ~r:n! "Cheerio" would be -nattered broadcast, lie denied -he re, or that£2,soo.ooo had bee* contributed in excise duty by the trade to this country. (A voice: "Who told you?" Ml ■ Burton "aid hi.- states.cut was true and j that tin amount of revenue was under j £l,oUo,ui.h.i. At this stage there were j several interruptions but Mr Burton j invite,] hi, interjectors to eiatnine e.ii statement- made. IT. again referr. . ! to broken he:.:cs. io-- of happine*- and , the misery cau-ed by liquor, :■.:.''. -■:,-, pealed to al! *o vote prohibition nn 1 thus let tho.-C cording after have ■> i brighter lit'.-. He implored al] ;,, ,-,,::- \ sider the matter, -.ot.- accor'ii u' to their couscitm-e, and lid th< countr;. j from th- eur-e of the liquoi traffic.