CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4175, 26 July 1892, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

Temperance and Politics,

[To the Editor,] Sir.—l read with much interest and pleasure, in your issue of the 16th insc, an article in the Temperance column on the Drink Question and some remarks by tho Hon Mr Munro at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester His utterances are evidently those of a man speaking from experience and personal observation. I have also perused many other articles in your journal on this vital subject for the welfare of tho community generally, which have been inspired by masterly minds. I di'tinotly reiffember Borne remarks of yours that appeared after the last general renewal of licenses in the Empire City, commenting on the statement of the polico that the botols generally were managed satisfactorily. You justly observed that such a verdiot was all bunkum. You. are perfectly right in your conclusions.and with your permission I will relate a circumstance which happened many months ago in Wellington, of which I was an eye witness ;

"I happened to be staying at one of these unnecessary institutions. Being acquainted with the proprietor and his family, one of his sons suggested a walk on a fine Sunday afternoon, to which I assented. Previous to leaving 1 had notioda number of persons—about twenty—of the class certainly a grade above a working man, imbibiug freely, ■En route for our afternoon's walk wo met the man in buttons and blue. He called my friend to one side and expressed himself thirsty, "In fifteen minutes from now," he said, "I shall bo making an officers visit at your father's place. We returned and the oustomers wore invited to seek refuge in a sittingroom. The key was turned on them, aud of course when Mr So-and-so came, everything was satisfactory, But what a farce! Ten minutes sufficed for an official visit, and with a sweetener of " Hencssy's ThreeStar," the guardian of the public morals went on bis beat perfectly satisfied he had done his duty, A lady acquaintance of mine writing from Home regarding the General Elections of the Imperial Parliament recently said:—" The Liberals are very confident of winning, but although a Liberal myself, I do not wish to see Salisbury and Balfour turned out, Their Ministry was not l an ideal one by any means, but on the other hand the advocates of Home Bule have made far too much of that question for many years past, It appears to me that the English Parliament only exists to collect taxes and discuss Irish affairs, not to give attention to tho millions of Britishers of both sexes who need legislating for so as to at leaßt attempt some euro of the dreadful poverty that oxists principally through tho accursed drink Lrnfrru. The only-too-true accounts one roads of the sufferings of the poor last winter and every winter is enough to mako one have feelings of disgust for those who call themselves statesmen and yet who do not try to remedy these evils; and furthermore, equally distribute the wealth ofGreatßritain," Quoting Oarlyle, she went on lo express her opinion that there would be no remedy for ohaos in British politics until we had a Government of heroes, A' statesman'should, she said, be prepared to grapple with any question, and when her sex had a say jn the matter, she at least would hot vote for' anyone except those who had proved themselves the ablest in tkeir own particular line, regardless of what party they belonged to. Her Ideal Ministry would bet-Gladstone, Chancellor of tho Exchequer; Salisbury, Minister of Foreign Affairs | G, ■ Booth, Home Affairs; Balfour, It Mi ' Affairs, and Plimsoll, Marine and Admiralty. Bo you tee at least some of the women at Home take an active < interest in politics, although the Gr,O,M. is supposed to have snuffed '. them out from having the franchise, i Yours, etc, W.S.W. I