THE NO-LICENSE QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10120, 15 October 1910, Page 6

THE NO-LICENSE QUESTION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln reply to "Roman," in your issue of the 13th instant, I regret, firstly, to notice that, unlike the grand heathen Roman of olden times, he lias not sufficient manliness and dignity to write on so momontous a question over his own name." Secondly, my regret is intensified by perceiving that lie simply quibbles, and is not tmtlmil, and knows it, when he writes the "Bishops of Canada do not advocate No-license; they counsel moderation and tempera nee." He dares to write this sentence knowing that many hundreds or thousands in this valley alone reading this Pastoral Letter will be quite able to judge the truth of his assertion.

Why do alcohol advocates prefer to write so untruhtfully ? is often asked. The reason is fully set forth ill m; C^ ni ''g paragraph nf t\,e P a§ , toral Letter!

"l\ om * ll V* before penning the could scarcely have troubled to read much less to digest the terse- j ly terrible and most powerful < ment of alcohol and its infernal properties as set forth in their Pastoral Letter by these eminent and experienced dignitaries to their people, full as it is of sound practical experience, and scientific and economic truth, equally applicable to all people of sound mind, inside, or outside, every church, who have thought for the welfare of the human race really at heart. These great and .experienced Bishops of a great Church from the Atlantic to the Pacific, after due consideration, and giving their reasons for their assertions, tell their j people amongst the rest, "It has ! been realised that the evil (alcohol) should be attacked at its source—namely, that the traffic in intoxicating liquors should be suppressed, or where that is not possible at least restricted and more severely controlled and that legislation should be enacted, etc., etc." Nothing I could write could possibly equal this most truly impressive and instructive letter," and lest anyone should not have read it, I will ask you again to reprint at my cost the great indictment contained therein. I will ask all those who have read this letter not to carelessly throw it aside, but to keep it for further reference. It will be useful for all time.

With regard to "Roman's" no doubt kindly and respectful hint as to my personal intemperance of language, of which I was not hitherto aware, I can assure him that it is wholly unconscious on my part, and must be ascribed to my highly nervous Celtic breeding. To please "Roman'.' I will continue to strive to do my best to discover and keep my "langwidge" under control, as I do my eating and drinking. Anyhow, I will conclude by claiming to be intensely human, and hope "Roman" will be able to concede that my language and efforts are always intended to be "upward" and for the good of others. "Humanum est errare," etc.,—Yours truly, WILLIAM H. HOSKING, Physician and Surgeon. I