THE MODERATES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 105, 26 September 1914, Page 6

THE MODERATES.

To tho Editor. Sir, —Everyone may easily know who the Moderates are—tlioy are tnc liquor party, in an attempt at a disguise: they liave the same objects in fiew and use the same arguments. The defeat of the one in their endeavors to have the polls postponed is really a defeat for the other. They made great sliow with their petitions; in Auckland they canvassed the streets with petitions, asking all and sundry to sign. They asked one ladv five times in one day to sign—and she was not a British subject, hut a Prohibitionist. Why is the Liquor Party so anxious to have no poll this year? Is it not that they want to put oir the evil day as long as possible? If they had their way there would never be a licensing poll again. And this Moderate Party say the same thing. There have, been frequently in the history of our English-speaking race those who assumed the name of the Moderate Party; but they never did anything. They always were the Do-nothing Party did not want to do anything but hinder all reform. Now these New Zealand Moderates are of that kind, and have nothing else in their platform but "do-notlling." I am a moderate; I want everything done in moderation — that is ever;,- right tiling. That being so, 1 feel that I ean just suggest a reasonable platform for the New Zealand Moderates; they may submit it to Mr. Myers for his approval if they wish. Tho Moderates want moderation in drinking—that is, men must not get immoderately intoxicated, but only moderately intoxicated. How can that bo uttained? Why, of course, by restraining those who are not moderate. Not prohibit—oh, no! The man who has haft one drink should have no more, that ila-y; or say six or whatever is known to lie moderate. Then, when he has taken the moderate, quantity—no more. That might be a helpful reform in our liquor laws if such an amendment were made. Did the Moderates ever ask for any such reform? Then again, not only should tho quantity consumed by the individual be moderate, but the quality should be moderate —that is, the alcoholic strength should he moderate. iVoiv, natural fermentation cannot produce a liquor with more than 13 per cent, of alcohol, and that strength soon makes men drunk; hence I suggest to Mr. Menteath and his friends that, to be consistent to the name they assume, they should seek to have the alcoholic strength of all liquors reduced to a safe moderate strength—say 3 per cent. Another waiy the. Moderates might work towards moderation, without any suspicion of being Prohibitionists, is by seeking to have the age to whom intoxicating liquors may he sold, under any circumstances, raised to 21 years. This would not be a prohibitory law., but only a moderation law. They might also moderate the hours and days Wherein strong drink is sold by reducing the hours when the bars may remain open; and also stricter enforcement of Sunday closing. This, Sir, you will say, is enough advice gratis. If these Moderates would only take my platform to begin with, anil work for it—moderate quantity, moderate strength of liquor, moderation in persons and places and times to whom and where liquors, may be sold, then we should begin to think that they are what they profess, and not, as appeai'.-i, a mere adjunct of the liquor party. 'As it is, they will not be able-to deceive the people of this Dominion, who will take tho Moderate League's solicitude about the public welfare at just what it is worth —not much. —I am, etc., U.H.M.