The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1908. THE NO-LICENSE MOVEAIENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2249, 22 July 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1908. THE NO-LICENSE MOVEAIENT.

The movo that is being mado by the No-License party to secure a. radical amendment to tho existing law during the present session of Parliament does not seem calculated to advance the cause its advocates are working for. In the past the question of license or ,no-license in tho different electorates has been decided by direct vote of the people on tho basis of a. three-fifths majority vote. When this legislation was first passed it seemed to impose a severe handicap upon the no-license workers and their platform representatives were wont to declare indignantly that three votes of the respectable, thoughtful members of tho community only counted for as much ns .those of a pair of bar-room loafers. Though tho facts were some--what strained/ the argument was sound enough, for, whilst every other legislative act placed upon the tStatute Book was determined by a Laro majority vote, it 6eemed invidious to make an exception in regard to tho liquor issue. Moreover, it must be admitted that any form of voting which, intentionally or otherwise, alters the relative values of the votes east by one class of tho community as compared with those of another, is a direct violation of democratic principles. It may be argued- with some force that the future of the liquor trade should not be dealt with by direct vote of the people, but once this method is employed there can be no logical reason for altering the relative values of the votes cast by different people. On the other hand a system which ‘is wrong in theory and which can scarcely be defended by the strictest logic, has proved successful in practice. Tho .insistence upon a threefifths majority has mado it certain that changes which must bo of the greatest moment to tho business of a community cannot be so frequent as to keep the people in a constant state of turmoil and unsettle trade. Before tho licenses in a district ca,n be cancelled at must be clearly manifest that the community has definitely made up its mind that it desires a period of no-license. Similarly nothing short of a very pronounced change in public opinion will suffice to restore licenses. Under the bare majority plan the hotels might easily be closed by the narrow margin of a few votes. The side which lost would obviously be dissatisfied and the whole of the ensuing three years would be spent in ail incessant campaign to turn the balance the other way. Instead of the community being resigned to the conditions following the result of the poll the district would practically bo divided into two factions, each striving its utmost to excel in tho ’art of vote catching. Noono who reflects for u moment would contend that such a state of affairs would h e good for the people. If Gisborne, for instance, is to have nolicense, it would be much more satisfactory that the issue should be settled next November in such, a way that any change made would be effective for at least two terms of three years each, than that the alteration of a few votes might reverse the position in another three years time. Judging by results it seems to us that no-licenso advocates have every reason to be satisfied with the existing law. Every election finds that despite the severe handicap they fight under, additional electorates have “gone dry” and in each district where such a change is mado .tlieir fight against the system of licensed bars can be relaxed if not actually dropped. The fight is won and they can rest on their oars whilst the community ns a wholo can enjoy a respite from the continual din of “.the trade” warfare. At last election, it is true, a bare majority vote would have given quite a .number of “dry” electorates, hut it is also probable that at next election several would, have taken the opportunity to reverb to .the license system. Aliy such reversion would provo .a severe blow to tho nolicenso movement-, though the change in the voting might not liavo demonstrated the failure of no-licenso in the particular district. "Where tho transfer of a few votes is all that is necessary to cause a. reversion to license a hundred and one causes may operate to turn the scales. Tho no-li-censo enthusiasts are doing splendid work in their endeavors to minimise tho evils of the liquor trude, hut it seems to us they would bo well advised to continue on the lines of steady hut permanent progress permitted hv tho three-fifths majority system rather than to seek the more rapid, but possibly transient successes that might be achieved by iiioahs of 'the bare majority.