THE PROHIBITIONIST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4134, 9 June 1892, Page 3

THE PROHIBITIONIST.

Publvhd by the courtesy of Ik Edibr of Jfairampa BaVy Times, under tfie ampicesoftk New Ztaland Alliance for the prohibiten of the liquor traffic, ilfajfertoii itiixilury.

kWhtn rakpaw demand th> entire exi tinc/ioii of all places for the sale of '" limrorj 'kirpmpAoMkg-anUd, —Chada Buxton, Brewer.

[Communications tor this column must be addressed to " The Prohibitionist," air., of Editor of iYairauapa Dam Tim]

Thopublio utility of this column has been testified to in unexpected qnnrtera. A pnhlioation wbioh- i« prepared to allow Prohibition principles to be advocatpd in its columns for the consideration of sixpence per inch each insertion, has favoured us wi'li jib malediction. This mfilediotion has been echoed by a barrel orgai advo« cate in another quarter. Wo feel much encouraged by the utterances of theseßalaams. We are quite sure that we are labouring in the true interests of humanity, when we are on the opposite side to, these worthies whose cart has been completely upset by the decisions of the Licensing Bench of Tuesday last, These decisions are satisfactory to all interested in /Wile moral well-being of Masterton. "a. good many people believed that as at last election the members of tbo present Bench were really the nominees of those interested in the liquor traffic, the judgments of the Bench would be altogether in the interest d tbe publicans as against the interest of the community. This, however, is an erroneous impression,as last Tuesday's proceedings show. The Bench had sufficient evidence before it to convince it that the eleven, o'clock license should not be printed. The police report was strongly opposed to the extended hours; and then there was the petition of nearly 400 citizons, among whom were five ministers of religion, supporting the report of the police. Not a word was uttered in favour of the seventaen-hours day to the publicans, and so the Bonsh re fused the eleven o'clock license, and five chastened liquor trafficers with qUiet content received the ten o'clock license. Of course this was not at all to our liking. We wish tbe drain shops prohibited, not at ten o'clock at night, but at eix o'clock in the morning. However, we are thankfnl \jgen for small mercies, and it is satisTactory to see the" Moderate" Committee ploughing to some extent with our heifer,

When the members of the Licensing Benoh posed as candidates for office tbey, through their mouth pieces, Messrs Walker k Co, declared that they would close unsuitable houßes on the recommendation of the police. We interpret the Benob's decision concerning the licensee of the Star Hotel in the lines of this profession—a profession which the Prohibitionists generally laughed at as bunkum wbt-n it was made. Ab Prohibitionists we need not feel much elated at the. results of Tuesday's meeting. As fur as disgusting the puhlio with the liquor traffic and driving people in numbers into the Prohibition camp, the Bench would lave served us better by presenting two blind eyes to the vagrancy, obscenity, pugilism, and gambling that have been brought before the public as bound up with the liquor traffic It is said that in the early days of the

teetotal reform a " shocking example"

in the shape of a bired drunkard was l tf|j»>fight on the platform by the Tern* perance Orator, h the history of Masterton we have hid during the past few months a somewhat similar experience. We have had " shocking examples" of the failure of regulating the drink traffio; and the Prohibition Alliance did not need to pay one penny for the hire I These " shocking examples" have helped us greatly, However, we dq.not desire the progress of Prohibition at the expense of the moral debasement of the community. We feel satisfied that the action oi the Bench in showing its confidence in the police and in cheoking the developroent of the drink curse will help many people to sleep sounder at nights. Many a father will have an eaßier mind because some check has been given to a traffio which so often leads to the moral ruin of young men,