THE PROHIBITIONIST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3950, 28 October 1891, Page 2

THE PROHIBITIONIST.

Published by the courtesy of the Editor of Wairarapa Davy under the auspices of the New Zealand Alliance for the prohibitim of the liquor traffic, Mastcrton Auxilixry.

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

[Communication* tor this column must be addressed to " The Prohibitionist " care of Editor of Wairarapa Daili.]

We must express satisfaction at the way certain representatives of the liquor traffic at Eketahuna and Masterton are doing all they can to fur nish evidence to the public that they are in complete touch with the lawless ruffian and debauched elements in the community. " Whom the gods destroy they first make mad." A temperance man who occupies a public office acts like a red rag on a bull on some of our politicians. In Eketahuna and Masterton there are m*-n who have the honour of having hurled at them the maledictions of the seller of whiskey. The object of the publicans' fury atEketahuna is Constable Roche. We referred to this matter last week, and have this week to report that the Wairarapa Star has, in a somewhat peculiar way, been keeping the ugly business before its readers. We notice one day that the editor refuses to publish an Eketahuna " Resident's " letter, and then the next day publishes a letter unfriendly to Constable Roche and spitefully insulting to the Rev. John Dukes ! If " Resident's" letter was, as is reported, friendly to Constable Roche, then its suppression and the publication of " Neutral's " letter were acts of gross unfairness on the part of the editor of the Star. Constable Roche, although not a member of the Alliance, is known to be a temperance man. He has won for himself a good degree as a fearless, upright, and intelligent public servant. He has made himself acquainted with the Licensing Act and knows that clauses 127 and 128 sternly prohibit women and young girls dancing in public houses. It is known that in different parts of the colony attractions of this kind have been used by publioans' to lure men on to drunkenness. In his fearless discharge of bis duty this constable has made himself obnoxious to the lawless element in Eketahuna, and in this element the publican interest is represented in the shape of sellers and soak eruof whiskey. This lawless element has been busying itself in trying to ruin this officer of the law. The law breakers firstopenly threatens to " do" for him. Then they display canning and plot to give him " promotion" in the form of a removal that would mean ruin. Mr Hojig M.H.R., in an evil hour listened to " Neutral" and his friends calumnies against the constable and has given an " opinion" on the case. What this opinion is the public has not been informed. Meanwhile the results of the publican onslaught on this public servant f>r his temperance principles and general fidelity are satisfactory to the friends of decency and order. A petition has been forwarded to the Minister of Justice signed by 186 residents in favour of retaining Constable Roche. The petition hawked round by " Neutral" and company in the interest of the publicans' dislike of ihe constable was only signod by 36, and not a few of the 36 signed in ignorance of the fact that they were stabbing a worthy public servant. We are satistied with the numerical weakness of the flhiakey ring atEketahuna. We have no doubt that the publicans' malediction brrled it Constable Roche will turn out to be a benediction. The malediction is clearly recoiling on the publican party. Two sides can play at petitions.

" For 'tis the sport to have the engineer Hoist with his own petard '."