THE PROHIBITIONIST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3872, 29 July 1891, Page 2

THE PROHIBITIONIST.

Published by the courtesy of the Editor of Wairarapa Daily wider the auspices of the New Zcakoul Alliance for the prohibition of the liquor traffic, Masterton Auxilixri/. I

When ratepayers demand the entire extinction of all places for the sale of liquors their prayer should be granted. — Charles Buxton, Brewer.

[Communications tor this column mus be addressed to "The Prohibitionist, are of Editor of Waikarapa Daiia.]

The gentlemen who come forward to champion the interests of the publicans in the impending election will be objects of some attention. By their coming forward they will put the Beal of their approval on the trickery and blundering of the publican party in the recent election. They will declare by this action their hearty approval of using legal technicalities for unrighteous and unjust ends. The legal technicalities of our Election Acts are not ends in themselves but only means to the end that the elec • tion be conducted fairly and that the vote of the people be carried out. No one doubts that the last election expressed the mind of the people. But law has for a moment trampled on justice, and the community, thanks to the publicans, is saddled with the cost and trouble of another election. There is little doubt that the publican party when they inserted in this petition the record of their own trickery and blundering, had no desire for a fresh election. The plan of campaign as made out by their legal advisers proyided for the crushing of the vote of the people by getting the Governor to appoint a committee over the beads of the people. Mr Skerrett was good enough to let out this little secret in open Court. This plan of campaign has been abandoned for the very obvious reasons that no Minister of Justice in New Zealand would touch such a dirty business, and no citizens of Masterton are degraded enough to accept nomination on such terms. The tactics of the publican have thus failed, and once more they faco the dread tribunal of the ballot box. , Their hate of this tribunal is not only 'shown in Mr Skerrott's little plan, but also in the Bill that was thrown out of Parliament the other day. What they wish is the power to force the liquor traffic upon a community irrespective of the wishes ot that community. The heroism of the five unknown nominees of the publicans in coming forward to approve of tactics unworthy of a ' Heathen Chinee,' will mark an epoch in the history of our interesting little town.

"Joy reigns in the tent of the Richabite and the heart of the 'iood Ternplar is exceedingly glad." So sang the London Dutty Telegraph the other month when the Welsh Direct Veto Bill passed in the second reading the House of Commons. This Billis framed to give power to localities by vote at the ballot box to entirely aboHsh the drink traffic. In spite of the opposition of the members of the Government this victory was won. Unionists and home rulers went cheerfully into the same lobby to give power to the people to deliver themselves from the tyranny of King Bung. Last Thursday joy reigned in the tent of the Rechabites ia New Zealand, and the heart of the Good Templar was exceedingly glad when tho newspapers reported the temperance victory in |

our Parliament. In Mr Joyce's Bill Prohibition stands clearly defined like a mountain peak under a clear sky. It abolishes the ambiguily in our present Licensing Act, and thus destroys a lucrative hunting ground of the legal fraternity. By this bill the people in a district will be able directly at the ballot box, not indirectly, as under the present law, to abolish the drink traffic. The motion for the second reading of this important measure was car lied, A study of the division list reveals some curious things. For example, our Premier, the Hon John Ballance, votes straight against the essentially democratic measure. In the New Zealand Times of June 29ch Mr Ballance is reported to have spoken as follows to a deputation of the New Zealand Alliance :—" The temperance cause had his warmest support. As regards the Bills referred to be wauld give the measures his voice. As far as his opinion was concerned he thought it would be a glorious thing if the importation of liquors was stopped altogether, and he would as Treasurer be glad to look elsewhere thanto alcohol for the public revenue." This was pleasing to the Temperance party, but lo ! Last Wednesday Mr. Ballance is as mum as a mouse on the question, and votes straight against the Bill. So much for the value of our Premier's promises Mr, A. W. Hogg's vote is in pleasing contrast to the action of the Premier. He was understood to say emphatically that he would not work in the Prohibition vineyard. But he has repented and has taken sides with the Prohibitionists. We congratulate Mr. Hogg for his wisdom in reading the signs of the times. His silent vote was of value to the Temperance party. They believe that when he opens his mouth no dead fly will he found in his temperance principles. The man that will have the audacity to advocate a Public House Endowment Hcheme in the shape of compensation will drive nails into his political coffin. Mr. A. W. Hogg is too wise to do this.

There is no sport in hunting calves, The Governor denounced the calf hunt the other day as ludicrous and cruel. Messrs Pownall and Walker are at the calf stage of social reform. We will not hunt them, but we freely acknowledge tfieir existence. Mr Pownail describes in his letter the honourableness and independence of his character, and this confirms what .vas written in this column last week. We wronged him in saying he was a humourist. The informal withdrawal was the prosaic act of an earnest, but competent man. He meant to withdraw and didn't know how: and Mr Beard comes aloDg and puts him in the pillory. We leave him there to study these schedules and to wash his mouth. We come now to Mr Pownall's alter ego, Mr A. Walker, Secretary Moderate Committee. His letter reads like the production of a youth who had been associated with Mr Pownall in amateur theatricals. Mr Walker brays out his valour thus, and the clatter of wooden swords seems to accompany the braying:— '«Don't funk it, now come on 1 There is the gauntlet." It is currently reported that this stagestruck letter-writer is no youth in his teens but is actually a man in middle life. We have no doubt that this dilated Falstaff will be given an opportunity of showing his valour on the Prohibition platform during the next few days. Meanwhile it is right that the public should remember that the " Moderate" party is the publican party. It was this party that increased the drink shops from four to six. This was the party that opposjd the Temperance party at the recent election ; and it was made as clear as the sun in heaven that the candidates were the nominees of the publicans. Mr Walker is the chosen mouthpiece of this party. His letter is in part a reproduction of the publican's manifesto that appeared in the Daily and Star of May 28th. Can Mr Walker deny that this manifesto, from which he cribs, vvae written to the order of the publicans and paid for by the money of the publicans 1 The publican succession of Mr Walker's position is as clear as noonday. The Masterton public knows that Mr Walker's attack on the elected Committee is as uncalled for as it is impudent. These gentlemen closed the public houses at ten o'clock and have done more in six weeks to abate the drink evil than Mr Walker and his party had done in six yearß.