REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1843, 17 May 1888, Page 2

REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION.

10 THE EDITOB. I Sir, — What are your readers to understand, from the leading tmiole ia last nights " Guardian." If the rufeieco bto religion waa an attempt at a little joke, the j ike la weak ia all conscience ; if they were written In sober earneat, surely, then, on consideration you must see that the ground taken 1 3 decidedly bad. P »rdou mo for pointing oat wherein yon are inconsistent, " Gambling carried to ar>y extent becomes" you admit, "a vie," and yet, while " Parliament Bhould not be inaje a medium for the discussion of questions euoh us how to prevent gambling," you give Ojunolllor Oohen a pat on the baok for the. step hj is taking to supprees glove fightß, and I would add my voloa to yours m singing out, •• Quite right Councillor Ojhen." You will hardly contradict me when I assert that for every one whose moral character is ruined by glove fights, there are Boores ruined by the gambling fiend I wish some newspaper or other antl-relhrloua ecribe would o>m a new phrase as a substitute for the hackneyed one "that men cannot be made moral by *?.ofc of Parliament." Nooneoontenda that they can, but you can minimise crime aud vice by repressive legislation 1 auppoae there ia no law of our land bat what ia broken at some time or other, and yet, who would argue that beoause men commit bigamy, the law on this subject Bhould be repealed, handiDg over, as you would, the responsibility and oversight of these vagabonds to the ohurohes, whl'e \ Parliament ia engaged m " passing laws for the liberties of the people," I wonder what the llbartiea of many of us would be if it were not that the liberties of some characters are ourtalled. As you have referred to the " religious instincts" (whatovor these may be) of members of the Legislature, let me say, m conoluding, tint when our laws makers are imbued with ihe spirit of the Great Founder of Oluistlaolty, there will still be ample scope for the energy and self-denying luborß of the churches, but the mission will be mac?e vastly easier, bacaute of it not being compelled (*s you desire) to assume the dual character of eoolasiaotlo and policeman. I am etc., Watchman, ' May 17th. 1888.