THE BARE MAJORITY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 255, 27 September 1928, Page 4

THE BARE MAJORITY.

Some members last night appeared to derive some satisfaction from describing the proceedings as farcical. I That is surely not the correct viewpoint. The attempt to deal with this grave and disturbing. issue should have none of the elements- of a farce. It is certainly not farcical when a Dominion which has rejected prohibition on a referendum is represented by a House which claims to have a mandate to alter the issues so as to nermit the introduction of prohibition by the vote of the odd man. Such an

alteration magnifies the danger of instability. It creates the possibility of a drastic change in social custom being brought into operation with a big public opinion opposed to it. The best guarantee for enforcement of laws is the support of public opinion. Without such support the means of enforcement must prove both expensive and difficult. Is it likely that bare majority prohibition would be accepted easily by the great minority opposed to it? If the extremists advocating this change would face the issue without prejudice they would be compelled to recognise that an experiment made under such conditions would be almost certainly foredoomed to failure. Moreover, the bare majority then would be a boomerang. It would facilitate the reintroduction of liquor. Only the smallest change over of votes would be necessary to do this. Yet men who are elected to guide the destinies of the Dominion can quietly and silently give assent to proposals which would introduce this dangerous degree of instability. —Wellington Evening Post.