MR HUNTER AND NO-LICENSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3042, 12 November 1908, Page 4

MR HUNTER AND NO-LICENSE.

. ♦ It has been suggested that Mr J. Hunter would have strengthened his candidature for the Masterton seat had he been more pronounced in regard to his views on the No-License question. More than one elector has expressed regret to us that Mr Hunter was not "an out and out Prohibitionist"—we quote the words used. Well, so far as we are aware, if Mr Hunter is not a Prohibitionist, we do not know what he is. He has stated on the public platform that he believes in the reform advocated by the No-License Party, and that he always votes for it. We do not see how any candidate could have been more explicit, or straightforward with the electors. It is quite true that Mr Hunter has only touched briefly upon the No-License question, in the course of his political addresses, and in doing so we consider that he adopted an entirely right course. There are questions of great political moment before the people of the Dominion at the present time, and there are questions of supreme importance to the Masterton electorate in which the electors should be, and we hope are, interested to a keen degree. It is regrettable, indeed, that the intense interest that is being taken as to the result of the local option poll should so greatly overshadow that displayed in reference to the general election. Mr Hunter has, however, done the right thing in endeavouring to create a healthy interest in politic?, and in drawing attention to the requirements of the town of Masterton. Mr Hunter, as we have said, has been absolutely candid as to his views regarding No-License, while it cannot be claimed that Mr Hogg has taken the electors into his confidence to a similar extent.