INVERCARGILL DRYING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 118, 9 May 1908, Page 6

INVERCARGILL DRYING.

To tho Editor. Nil',—\\ hat does "I'akirikiri" wiinl ' If tin- <-tn I have «*'i\fjj do noi prove that Invereargill i> in the proves of drying, hero are some more: in J> ceinber, 100<», the hew ilnly paid therr was C2*il Ilk Bd. and in December, 1007. it was £l7B 14K 2d. a decrease oi U.3.'l .I*, (id fur a month. .Now, bearing ill mind tlit* tact that duly i-, paid in luveivargill tor all part,, of Southland, and tliat Invereargill i> the only pan of the provincial "di-tricL where no-ii'vn-e ha- been recently brought into "juration. while the other portions, under license, we may presume are keeping pan- with (lie rest of the Dominion in maintaining, in fact increasing. Ih.-ir consumption of alcohol, k i* cenainK lair to conclude thai Invereargill havery materially reduced its H hare of iii:« total—in short, ha- mi much redurcj il> consumption as to show the abovv decrease in the aggregate in >pite ol general increase. Here are •;oine more figure*. Duty collected at on all tin* la-t complete t \car ol license \vii> C2tU»O7. and for I he first complete year of «o-l?ecnsc it was C20.1.VJ. a de<iv;i: e ni C'i.l.m: apply (lir ,-anu' rea-ouing ;l - al"»\e. we ha\ eto agive |} M | Invri- flryiinr up. 1 ran v*» more il needed. hut 1 cati'l say how much beer anv parlbnlar brewrri.-, ~r dept.' > ,, 11-tlu , y would noi give iliji inl'oriji.i 'ion to nie or my fri-iids. " I'akirikiri" ha*, however, only die y\r < i> >n v, hf.-n ot dnil)kelllie>-: he -:»\s In- ki)o\\ M ;t |i about i!; I doubt thai. Ilsou'-.h he uriv l:now a great deal, and we may assume he u-Wifs to abolish jhom: Inn he a-!:-. * do whit u claimed for it?" Well, what U claimed for i' 'Jhat it. reduces drunkenness, that i> contributes to an improvement in morals generally, that it removes lemptation out of (he way. that il diverls business into more profitable (to the public) channel*, that it so tho—who try it that they do not want to go back to license. A< to whether it docs that, I will refer everyone to tlk' Mayor of Invereargill, Mr. Win. Seandrett, who was re-elected last month for tin' fifth time to the mayoralty by a majority of about 20(1 vote* over his opponent. Before mo I have a eopv of a hiter written "by him and endorsed by 10(1 of the leading citizens of Invercargill, in which lit;ssa ri that Xo-Liceiw does nil that 1 have mentioned. In addition to that T have just seen a private letter in which the writer, a resident of Invercargill, says of No-License: "it ha« Ueen a great improvement here in spite of the depots which the brewer* have opened. . . no drnnkennov or loafing about the streets as formerly. There is quite a different atmosphere on Saturday nights and holidays, also at sport-gatherings and the like. Business is splendid, aud every hotel will let. 1 I conclude as 1 began: What does 4Ta-1-irikiri want?'' I'or answer I refer to the conclusion of his letter, and, if I can read at all. it i.s plain thai he wants more wiiaky. and. if possible, duty free. I fear that, with that invincible bias, facts, figures, argument-, are all thrown away on him. Mnv we be delivered from such a frame of mind. —I am, &0.. UEO. IT. MATW'DETC. A Yorxn MKNTS CUT, To the Kditor. Sir.—You are welcome to your opinion concerning my letter. Of course, tlicie are always two opinions; and now to keep to the point, i propose the formation in this town of a men's club lor all comers, and a club that will be of no particular sect, but ol a cosmopolitan rliaiacler, and that will be ol a permanent character in New Plymouth, and a < lub that ail classes could joiu. of whatever ponitiou in life. It would be the grandest move that could be made, .mi it lite temperance people want to run in opposition to the attractions of the hotels their chance is right here. 1 v.ouhl advocate that all ?port be introduced that could be indulged in indoors, including boxing, etc., which is all right if indulged hi in a proper .-pint, the -,niu- a> other meaiu ol recrcaUou. It doe r not matter how -uijll the thai is iiMide, so m a -tart i- mad- 1 in earned, and wiiii a iieieruiiii.ilion ih-it it >h;ill be kept, going yar alte»' »eai. l)Uok-». periodical , and all other mean- of pa-.-ing the time will bi> introduced. and the subscription- would keep the club going. The beat thing to do lor interested tu get the thing 2oing r tlieniselvcs, and have themselvi--> to th.mk for it, a<j well as any out-ide ;:u'hl uir?herts who care to help with book-, etc. I note in Ihi- i—ue ol your journn I h.ii a club ot a like nature L ad\ornlhi.. iii'i'M tdlill'-d ||<'|'e, but il doe- Hot. app'-al to ••ver\l»od\. and i- coun< i l i'd uiili a «'hiu<'b: and I note Iliat an a[»pc:il been made to combat - a hopeie-,, t i-k. I can as-uie au\l»od.\ ;:id ever\l>od>. as ilia I is coining jusi

... -nr.- as the tide U in. to morrow. and it every soi-iali.-d on tii" planet even ii«m\ tried t<> prvvt'ut it. in • '>)}jnniti<»i) witli it- .»ppom>uU, their e|V«»rt„ would 1"' t'nliie. this ni.'y noi 1,,. jt, tin- point, hut it is ilie lad. Let u< form a elub. and I'll join with unholy, and in the niv.nUime mit-l I hank the New- lor ail<»u ni«r the mailer t,, he !m>u?lil iKd'ore the public tlil-nllj.li t lu* iitediuni ol these column-. I am.