THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7981, 8 March 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1906.

« I' i ' '.III If the number of candidates offering themselves for election to the Masterfcon Licensing Committee may be accepted as any oriterion of the public interest iu the approaching election of the Licensing Committee for this district, it may be said that the amount of interest being dis played is unusual, if not exceptional. There are nq less than.eleven candidates for five seats, but we are disposed to bold the' opinion that the number of candidates is'more indicative of mismanagement than aught else. In every question affeating the liquor traffid there'are two great contending parties—the Prohibitioniata and the Liquor Party. It would be unreasonable not to admit that a Moderate Party exists, hut it is entirely unorganised, and the "Moderate" caididate of to-day is, as a

rule, either a Prohibitionist, or a. Liquor Party map. Then, agaiii, there seems to be a fourth party coming into' existenoe—th» Independent Temperance Party—and for them! it may bo said that their atti tude-is, at least, in keeping with one principle of modern thought in connection' with moat important questions, viz., tho right to bold independent; opinions. Party strife and party forms seem destined to die a< natural death, balbjiging, as they do, to phases of political life and of thought that are not acceptable in these days of broader minded men and w,oman. #* * * * *" * But whatever vibvvs the "doughty" elevennmay bold t4iey have mads but little, if' any effort, to acquaint the publio with them, and? iff the same degree of reticence be' maintained •throughout the election, then the electors who cast their votes must do so in considerable ignorance' necessarily of the views .of the candidates for whom tbey may record their votes. Tho candidates- are:—Messrs F, J. Bright, 3.. C. Cooner, J. Cross, 0. E. Daniell, E. Fei»t, J.. JBessey, E. McEwen, 'JL Moas, J. H. Pauling, F. 0. Turnon- and A. I-]. Vile. From the- above mentioned list of candidates, whatever the result of the election may be, the public may rest assured thatt a Committee will l bo elected who maybe relied upon to honestly administer the licensing law, in accordance with their views, and to the best of their ability, and, so far a& their limited powerai'allbw them scope for operationu And possibly the whole question ends.- there? * * *<• * *■,••. * Immany other places compromises between contending partie* have been efEeated and . wisely so, we think. Mfare interest would, no doubt, be attached tk» licensing elections ifj the Committees had greater powers,, but, in view of the present position,. we> may, perhaps, be pardoned for hazarding the opinion that if;" the'/ Magistrates,, who are Chairmen of the JLiceuaing Committees, were allowed tq' ad-' minister the v licensing law without the assistance- of tiiev Committees/; % the results would be qynitj as satisaotory to the public l , while the colony would be saved a good deal of expanse. Eveuy unbiassed person must admit tiiat there is room for reform,, audi that of a clrastiu character, in. connection with the liquor trafflQ; of the country, but the reforms- that aroi urgently needed cannot be efffeoted by Licensing Committees- because those bodies 'have- powers- that are extremely limited,, and! do not in the least touohi the- real! questions in which. the country, comprising different parties of. thought, is deeply in'bereatedi. Hiijoena-iing Committees appear to have" been established with the> object of persuading the. eleotors into; belie-ving that the Committees oomtroU the liquor traffic but the electee, al eourse, quite realise the wbolo position hence the apathy that is always so extremely manifest in regard to the election of Lieenting Committees.