NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9096, 23 May 1908, Page 5

NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT.

Bl* TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION". ASHBURTON, May 22. The Rev. Frank W. Isitt, Secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, to-day, told a representative of the "Guardian" that the No-license Party throughout the dominion were hopeful with respect to the coming local option poll, and were working with an energy that justifi >d the hopefulness. The party recognised that they had an unknown quantity to deal with in the immigrants of the past three years, and fully appreciated the strength of their opponents, but they still felt that the present outlook was better than that of any previous similar occasion. He contended that there had been a steady development of the no-license sentiment throughout the British Empire, and in America, and that this could not fail to carry weight in the dominion. He was particularly hopeful in regard to Taranaki, but feared that part of Taumarunui being attached to the Waitara electorate might spoil .vhat might otheiwise prove to be a no-licer.se provincial district. Speaking in favour of a bare majority— while not mentioning Ashburton —he said he did rot see how democratic principles could be reconciled with any other position, or that anything could be said in favour of the advantages that a three-fifths majority gave his party of holding an electorate by a minority vote. In reply to an enquiry as to how his party viewed the recent deliverance of the Hon. J. McGowan, Minister of Justice, in regard to clubs. Mr Isitt said; —"Of course we are exceedingly sorry that the Minister of Justice should go out of his way to speak of working men's clubs as beneficial institutions. It is within my own knowledge that one of the clubs' half-yearly reports showed that over £5,000 had been spent on liquor, and less than £lo' oil literature in that club. Its club charter work# havoc. They should be obliged to close the club bar at lO' p.m. when city hotel bars are closed. Members, however, can drink till morning by taking advantage of the locker system, and not a few of them do so. Speaking generally of this Cabinet," he concluded, "we hold absolutely aloof from political parties, and I have nothing to say of the present Government that I nxpect to' say if the Oppositon took office. I do say though that 1 haven't the least fear that we should be cheated in any way by the present Government, as we undoubtedly have been by some."