Public House Question.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 275, 19 March 1889, Page 2

Public House Question.

[TO THB BDITOB.) \ Sir,—The writer who in your last issue replies to my latter ot a previous data oom. mite a gross libel on the English language when he appends to his letter the signature which he does—" Sense.” But two wrongs will not make a right and I will try and deal with him in a more rational manner than ho deserves. I would not think it worth while taking notice of him at all were it not that it affords an opportunity to keep the matter prominently before the public; it the publicans cannot find a better champion than senseless “ Sense," that is their misfortune—their cause is so weak that they ought to try and bolster it up in some better way. •• Sense ” says he would scorn to notice me, but ho wastes much ot your space in a scurrilous attack (intended for myself) on the wind, that I see an editorial snub is appended, Again addressing myself to those who have the temperance cause at heart, I say there never was a better time in Gisborne than the present for furhering that prinoip'o which has most to do with prosperity and contentmen'. Captain Tucker says that if the proposition is carried it will be to the interest of other publicans. Let it be so, if needs must bo, but only temporarily; by letting one section of the trade fight it out with the other, it gives the temperance oanse increased power, to be exercised with effect when th< time ripens. I will conol ude by adding a nows* x Esper extract The county council elections are last taken place in the old country, and according to ths “ Alliance News " of January 2fl in no previous contest, municipal o: Parliamentary, was the temperance question brought SO prominently to the front, In London especially tha two contending forces came into close conflict. The principal test question of the United Kingdom Alliance and other temperance bodies was “ the direct veto and no compensation," and the results wore exceedingly gratifying. In the boroughs of St. Pancras, Islington, Finsbury, Chelsea, Fulham, Kensington and Westminster, comprising about 20 parliamentaiy divisions, a large majority of those returned wore pledged to the Alliance p'attorm; and in South London, of 33 elected, no less than 26 ware the nominees of the temperance party par'y. Altogether, out of 118 candidates returned for the metropolis, 65 including 17 total abstainers and several members of ~R Alliance, are sound on the drink question The elections for the country were not complete at the date above referred to, but u fax as they have gone they were ramarwably successful. Some of the leading temoeranea workers in the kingdom, including Mr Joseph Malins, the heart of the Good Templar order, had been elected, and everywhere the pros* pects were most encouraging. Referring to ths elections generally, the " Burnley Gazette" said: 11 If these things do not teach those engaged in thia trade that the handwriting is on the wall, they are more obtuse than wg give them credit for, Public opinion, not only of East Lancashire but all through tha country, is definitely pronouncing againat this trade, and has declared with no uncertain sound that thia traffic will have to he brought into harmony with popular opinion." It ii only necessary to add that ths same " bandwriting " is manifest in New South WaUo, During the recent elections the compensation question was the sole leave between the temperance forces and the publicans, and it is as clear as noonday that the magnificent triumph achieved at the ballot box must ba followed up at an early date by legislation Of a practical character.