IMPROVED WAR EFFORT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 64, 12 June 1942, Page 5

IMPROVED WAR EFFORT

FARMERS' UNION OPINION

RESTRICTING THE LIQUOR

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At the forty-second Auckland Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, the following remit was received from the Northern Wairoa branch:'— "That the Government he requested to provide that the production of facilities for the sale cf liquor in New Zealand be restricted for the period of the war, with a view to improving the efficiency of the Avar effort and the conservation of grain, sugar and other supplies for essential purposes." In moving the remit, Mr S.. S. Green (Mangatu) said the quantities of grain used for liquor manufacture in New Zealand were gering.Leaving out of consideration the moral and ethical aspects, the case for a substantial restriction was unanswerable. Men engaged in the industry could be released for duties essential to the war effort. Mr W. Collins (Northern Wairoa) seconded the motion. He considered that thejr should seriously consider the danger to the community in the abuse of the liquor traffic. It was a scandal to see the number of young girls going into public houses. Something should be done to stem the tide of drunkenness. Mr A. Wiblin (Hukerenui) said In; was speaking on behalf of boys in cam]). He was the son of a publican but (with a smile) an extreme wowser himself. The speaker related an incident where a number of soldiers on leave had come back to their tent hopelessly drunk. Mr AY. Fursdon (Taumarunui) raised a strong protest against 'wowsers' interfering with him. Mr F. AN'. Keam (Tauranga) said lie had had a letter from Fiji referring to drunkenness there. Mr A". Simms (Otorohanga) said lie had three beys in the war. One had writen to hi in from Fiji and said he wished there were more beer. Hoys spending days on end in sand or mud naturally w;mted a spot e' beer to wash it down when they gnt a chance. Mr Green in pointed oir that the remit only asked for restriction as a war-time measure, an on the vote it was carried by a la-.g~ majority.