NO-LICENSE IN MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10221, 24 April 1911, Page 6

NO-LICENSE IN MASTERTON.

[To The Editor.'] Sir, —I have read your report of Mr D. McGregor's address in Palme ( rston North recently on No-license and its effect on Masterton. In view of the fact that Mr McGregor poured forth such encomiums on the effects of nolicense here, and endeavoured to show that everything was in a most flourishing condition here in consequence of no-licerise, the following facts may prove interesting to your readers, and will also go to show that Mr McGregor is no exception to the average nolicense advocate in regard to allowing his enthusiasm to carry him beyond the limit of discretion ana impartiality. Mr McGregor put forth a lot of "matters which suited his puri pose, but it is to be regretted that ho only enlarged upon the matters which to him appeared favourable to his cause. There are other -in<l nur'erous facts and figures whic'i shjw ■that, in spite of all Mr McGregor and l\is followers may say to the contruy, Masterton is a striking example of tlw business depression, financial embarrassment, and general stagnation j which follows in the wake of no-license. It is, of course, a comparatively safe thing for McGregor to go over to Palmerston North and hold forth about the benefits of no-license in Masterton, seeing that-, the Manawatu Gorge and some 60 or 70 miles of country intervene. Were he, however, to come before a Masterton audience, and volunteer this information of unbounded prosperity in Masterton in consequence of 110-license he would receive similar treatment to that meted out to his confrere and 'brother in the cause, Mr Bedford, when he recently essayed to fcell the people of Masterton what a Garden of Eden they dwelt in in consequence of the prevalence of no-license. Suffice it to say that Mr Bedford's meeting was of short duration, and was finally turned into an enthusiastic meeting in favour of restoration of licenses, it which several prominent business men spoke in favour of restoration, and a resolution carried in favour of same. Mr McGregor forgot to tell his audience that ten bankruptcies have been filed in Masterton for the whole of the Wairarapa Supreme Court area for the* quarter ending 31st March, thh year, nine of which are from within Masterton proper, and the no-license area. Wellington, for the same period, produces one bankruptcy; that is to say, Wellington, with a population of about 70,000, produces one bankruptcy ; Masterton, with a population of about 5000, produces nine bankruptcies, showing that proportionately calculated financial depression is 135 more marked in Masterton than in Wellington. For the.years of 1905, 1906, 1907, being whole years of lioense here, the bankruptcies in the electorate were respectively 4„ 6 and 4. For the three years since nolicense in the electorate, viz., 1909, 1910 and 1911, to end of March last, they have been 17 and 14, and nine for the three months ending March 31sfc this year. The building permits issued by the Masterton Borough Council show a falling-off in the expended amount in building of about £6OOO and £SOOO each year since the advent of no-license:—

March 31st, 1908, to March 31st, 1909, being whole year of license. Number of permits, 61; value, £23,067 2s 6d. March 31st, 1909, to March 31st, 1910, 3 months' license, balance nolicense.—Number of permits, 52; value, £16,608 Is 6d. Mafch 31st,. 1910, to. March 31st, 1911, all no-license.—Number of permits, 39; value, £11,248 9s 4d. In the main street of Masterton, there being practically only one business street, there are to-day some 17 shops and offices vacant. During the past twelve months some 17 business premises have closed down, and ceased to carry on business. In addition to the number of bankruptcies, several businesses have been assigned for the benefit of creditors, and of which there is no official record, one a week ago, tenders'for the stock of which are at present being advertised. Still Mr McGregor assures all his hearer.:, that there is unbounded prosperity prevailing in Masterton, and exhorts them to vote for no-li-cense, so that they may share in some of it, and keep, their Bankruptcy Court busy. The large increase in the Savings Bank returns which Mr McGregor quoted, is the best evidence of the condition of the town. People here prefer to put their money in tho

Savings Bank at 1 or 2 per cent rather than invest it in tlie security offering in the town at 6 and 8 per cent, showing clearly that they liave lost faith in the stability of their town from an investment point of view. Of course, the Savings Bank deposits increase, the people being unwilling to invest their money in the town are actually removing their money from the banks and putting it in the Post Office Savings Bank, the inducement being currency as opposed to a fixed deposit, and tho 1 or 2 per cent interest in I preference to investment in the town at any price. Mr McGregor told his Palmerston North audience also that Mastorton was "quiet, clean and orderly." There is no doubt about this, paiticularly the ''quiet" and "orderly" part of it, as there is never anybody about to make a bustle or noise, and the tradespeople here realise to the full the force of these remarks, and will ccncur in them. One of the chief inducements held out by no license advocates prior to no-license was that everything would be law and order, no need for police, etc. We, however, still have four policemen and a.sergeant, the same number as in license, an:l if rumour is correct, they are to be reinforced, as they are un-

able to cope with the excessive work brought about by the sly-grog sellers. Mr McGregor gloated over the decrease in drunkeness, but he forgot to mention or furnish a list of the sly-grog cases with which our courts are flooded, or to tell his audience anything about that class of person locally known as the "dropper," whose business in the way of dropping grog so as to evade the law, has proved so remunerative as to enable some of them to buy motor cars to help them to more effiectually ply their calling. It is a great pity that a little more calm and rational impartiality and fairness of mind is not exercised in regard to the liquor question by no-li-cetso advocates, particularly when they get away from home dilating upon their pet theme. I have lived in Masterton many years prior to nolicense, and during the whole time it has prevailed here, and am employed in business liere, and am therefore in a better position to judge than MiMcGregor, who comes in from the back blocks once a 1 week or so, and then expresses surprise at not seehig a native worse for liquor, and immediately, with logic characteristic of him, concludes that because he has not seen there are none. And I assert without the slightest hesitation, or fear of contradiction, that no-li-cense is a misnomer as applied to Masterton, and would, so far as it is concerned, be more fittingly characterised and described by the term 'no-pros-peritv.'. I am, etc., J. J. KELLIHER.