Patoa Electorate and No-License.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13528, 9 November 1911, Page 8

Patoa Electorate and No-License.

TO, THE ED/TOtt. '

Sir,—Will soihe of your? readers kindly inform me what, ns a Prohibitionist, I am to do, for if I follow my leaders I vote for No-License with my left, and .for License with iny right hand. I wish people wonld be consistent. No-License advocates tell-■ us that the only thing worth voting fords No-License. Why don’t they carry put this goodly principle ? Of course, it is evident to all that No-License can never be carried throughout the Dominion on a three-fifths majority. We almost despair of ever increasing our majority to beyond 100,000. If this goes on we shall become heartily sick of the hopeless fight, and verily the last state will be worse than the first. Seeing, then, that our only hope -is; in' getting - the bare majority substituted for the three-fifths, why don’t the No-License people support their own man, or men, I should say ? In •this electorate we have two men who stand straight out for the bare majority ■and pledge themselves to advocate and support it. I refer to-Mr O’Dea and Mr Train. These two will not get the publican's vote. Oh, dear, no! But will they get the vote of the No-Liesn sc agitators,, who say that the only thing worth while is No-License? ■ With them nothing else matters. Mr Pearce’s Aramoho speech made it pretty clear that he was not a. man to receive a No-License vote. He said emphatically he was against the bare majority. He calls this democratic. Perhaps he docs not know the word plutocratic? That die supports -the three-fifths majority is a mere bagatelle, for everyone seeking election is bound to do that. Now,, i know .several very keen Nb-License workers who say straight out that they are voting for Pearce; and yet this very day, from thejr headquarters, I received a huge placard urging all No-License people to support the' bare majority men. is this consistent? Is it not damaging to the whole cause and alienating already lukewarm votes? I am for Nb-License, and; I say this; Gome 6nt, r No-Lipehsc men, have some backbone, - stand by your colours, -return your bare majority men, for nothing else matters!? Either-"' vote for a bare majority ipan, or not at all; and so show people you can be firm sometimes. Don’t bolster yourself up with the "see-saw” ; ’idea that Mr Pearce speaks about. -Thereas a big .weight (30,000) -bji! the 'No-License endof ■ the- plank. Now, No-License people, just-think, and think ; hard-about it, for you are being watched from your own fold? Thanking you, Mr Editor, for your kindly permission.—l am, etc., BACKBONE.