The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1888. THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1795, 27 September 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1888. THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Nothing could be more amusing than the “set-to" Sir William Fox and Mr Alfred Saunders had in Christchurch one day last week, It appears that during the recent election contest for Ashley Mr Saunders expressed himself farorable to the establishment of distilleries in this colony, so as, he said, to provide a market for the grain grown by farmers. Sir William regarded the proposal as a “ stunning one” and it nearly “took his breath away,” and so he came to Christchurch for the purpose of replying to it. Now the conduct of both these worthies is sufficiently ridiculous to raise the susspicion that they are fast approaching dotage. There is not a wilder or a more fanatical Freetrader in the colony than Mr Saunders—he is everlastingly ranting on the subject, and yet he would give protection to distilleries and prohibit the importation of whiskey! That is a most extraordinary thing, but what renders it altogether incomprehensible is that Mr Saunders is a very strong advocate of temperance besides. Mr Saunders would insist on Freetrade in every article, except the article which he argues is hurtful to man both morally and physically, and to this he would give protection to enable it to be manufactured in this colony. Mr Saunders’s guileless innocence is quite charming, and denotes plainly the muddled condition of the brains of ranting, raving Freetraders. It shows that they are, as the Yankees say, “a little mixed.” Sir William Fox’s position is more consistent. He is a temperance advocate, and acts in harmony therewith, but the arguments he adduced in favor of bis contention lacks the force of logic or common sense. He says that if Mr Saunders’s proposal were adopted—that is, that whiskey should be made in this colony under Government supervision—“ in few years we should be sodden iaa strong drink; morally, socially, spiritually, and politically.” He instanced the case of Sweden, where at one time every farmer distilled his own grain, and the whole nation was miserable and besotted. Since distillation was restricted it had completely changed. He continued;—“To carry Mr Saunders’s proposal would be to place the country in such a position that the Government would be independent of the people; would spend just as it liked, and increase the price of grain to suit elections, It would absolutely put an and to the present system of Government. It would bo a most 41 aaatrnuH and dangerous experiment, striking zX the rout of our constitutional powers. Mr Sfi-uuclers would do it all for ex-

pedieney, not for principle. He had evidently abandoned principle. The proposal to the mind of Sir- William Fox was.constitutionally and politically wrong, and contrary to all the principles of Freetrade or any other trade. It would involve the colony in great constitutional difficulties, give the Government a power it never had before, demoralise the nation, and turn us into a nation of whiskey drinkers without a penny in our pockets. (Loud applause),’’ Was there ever such a jumble of inconsistencies ? The Government would grow independent, and spend money as it liked and raise the price o 1 grain, and we should all be penniless. What a most extraordinary picture? And then we should all be sodden, morally, physically, etc. Now in the name of all that is good and sensible, how could home-made whiskey make greater drunkards of us than imported whiskey can? And if the profits from distillation would make the Government independent and raise the price of grain, is not that exactly what we want ? In the whole course of our life we never came across anything so wild and so senseless as this. It is, according to Sir William Fox, better to continue sending thousands upon thousands annually out of the country than spend the money in giving better prices for the grain to our farmers. We have on previous occasions dealt with this question, and it is needless to go more fully into it. We are as strongly in favor of temperance as a great many, but so long as whiskey is used it is better for us to make it ourselves than import it from other countries.