PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1919, Page 6

PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

" GREATEST BLESSING YET." CANADIAN SYSTEM SLACKER. As the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. J. H. Gunson, who returned from America on Friday last, was possessed of first-hand information, based on personal knowledge, of the working of prohibition in the United States, the subject of its effects was naturally one of the first upon which he was interrogated upon landing. Mr. Gunson explained to the Auckland Herald that the prohibition which wis in force in the United States during his visit was governed by the war-time measure on the subject. The amendment of the constitution of the Republic which is to come into operation next month, as a result of its adoption by the requisite majority of the individual States, would effect permanent prohibition. Moreover, there was no question or prospect of revulsion of feeling., Any unbiassed person travelling through the country could not but be impressed with the fact that the industrial, social, and commercial sections of the population had accepted prohibition as a great reform. Even large numbers of those who had been opposed to its enactment were now firm supporters of the system Throughout the country he found the sentiment firmly established that prohibition was now a permanent' measure that there was to be no going back upon it.

"As to the personal impressions arising from iny own observations," said Mr. Gunson, "I would say that the adoption of prohibition hat? proved one of the greatest blessings that ever happened to the Americans as a country. In the quarters inhabited by the poorer people the children are better fed and clothed than they were when parents spent their means upon liquor. The money that formerly went to the hotels is now used in the maintenance and improvement of the homes. That, I may say, is the universal observation on the subject. In other words, the Americans are finding more advantageous methods of utilising their means than wasting it upon liquor that perishes in the use." When questioned as to the effect of the corresponding measure in Canada. Mr. Gunson said the form of prohibition adopted in the Dominion is not • the "bone-drv" jilan of the United States. It is much slacker in its provisions, and the position in Canada is anything but satisfactory. The administration of the law also is exceedingly slack, and the medical men dole out liquor under the powers conferred upon them by law. in a manner which made the operation of the law far less effective than in the "bonedry" United States. Consequently the experience of Canada could nat be looked to as an example of the working of thorough-going prohibition.