THE 17TH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3046, 17 November 1908, Page 5

THE 17TH.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—This date will mark a epoch in the history lot Masterton of the struggle for supremacy between License and No-License. The contest has been carried on in a most moderate manner, and the License Party, who usually get tiire credit of anything discreditable, have practically indicated any imputation on this score. The No-License Party, as most of us are aware, have done a great deal of platform speakine, whether it has done any good*Temainsto be proved. The License Party, have done very little in this-direction —not for lack of talented local and outside platform speakers, for many have offered to speak on behalf of the License Party—but the policy of the License Party rely on the concensus of voting by facts,, not extravagant sentiment. I think every settler and resident in the Masterton Electorate will admit the up-to-date character of our hotels, second to none in the Dominion, and much appreciated by temperance, commercial, travelling, tourist, and rural j population. Their central and valuable site positions cannot be ignored by those identified with the interests of the town, and the houses have been conducted well in the past, the hotelkeepers themselves being a most respectable class of man with a large experience in their line of business. There is a class of people now-a-days who are prone to overlook a live and let live policy, and as loi.g as they are wrapt up in their own self, care little whether Continuance of Licenses is defeated Jor not, as long as they can enjoy good liquor at home. Were they to confine themselves to their own selfish ideas, then no exception might be taken, but some have $$ audacity to range therr; elV £g un s er the Temperance riagf anr3 eX pect people to bel/jg v § they aye genuine. Influence, motive is usually k fe h"jiflcl a mask of velvet. I shall decidedly vote against No-License, and I shall do it with' the inward conviction I am in the right, ss a very moderate drinker and greatly against house consumption of liquors. I regard the present mode of distribution by the medium of the hotels tb§ b«t, as I have seep the effects of siy-grog 'J! the most hideous forms of excess, which I would not like ,to witness in Masterton. If those who hold broad honest sincere views on th:"s question of the hour, I am quite certain their vote will not be thrown away.—l am, e f c, C. A. PHILiP.