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Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 19 July 1880, Page 2

Thbbe is perhaps no topic within the range of Colonial politics which annually receives such a worrying at the hands of members of the House, as that of the liquor traffic. Whether in connection with some proposed am^ eudment of the licensing law, or the dying out of the Maori race, it is all the s°ame. The spring once topped, flows on with gorgeous superfluity, the House is suddenly converted into a vast Temperance meeting, and the Band of Hope has it all its own way. 1 The orations of two members of the House stand out conspicuously on ; these pathetically teetotal occasions — ' l those of Sir "W. Fox, and Dr. Wallis. ' Teetotal statistics ooze out of them on i these occasions with miraculous pro» * lixity. They can either of them tell you at a moment's notice how many square bottles of gin are annually consumed in the Cantons of Switzerland, how many hogsheads of rum have been drunk since tbe Conquest, the nun> ber of gallons of spirits which is an^ I uually thinning the life-blood of mankind. In brief, there is seemingly no single foct, or chain of facts, which is 1 capable of being sublimated down into the form pf a solid numerical mispile, that they are not ready to hurl at opponents off hand. Dr Wallis, however, is by no means an enthusiast in tie cause of total abstinence, but still proves to a great esteuc that

s quite possible for a man to drive fat oxen, without himself being fat. In the course of his address on the Licen* sing Bill, Dr. Wallig said:— A vast amount of money has been invested in the trade, and leg : slation must deal with the circumstances as they are. I understand for instance, that in the trade in Great Britain there is invested twenty-two millions sterling ; in the iron trade twenty-five millions; in the cotton trade, ninetyfive millions, and in the liquor trade, one hundred and seventy million pounds sterling. There are upwards of 15 000 establishments and a million and a half of people engaged in the business ; and under these circumstances it would not do for statesmen in Great Britain to adyocate and carry out^total prohibition ; but in a new country Ike this we might tryg it, andjjif the hon. gentleman who preceded me (Mr Fox) will bring in a Bill to prevent the introduction or manufacture of liquor I shall certainly support him.