THIS BEER QUESTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 58, 28 February 1949, Page 4

THIS BEER QUESTION

Sir, —I am deeply impressed with the way my friend “Awake” tore into me the other day, and I give him full marks for his sincerity. I have still not signed the pledge. Nor do I ignore real evidence. He says there were more convictions for drunkenness after hours were increased in Britain. He assumes a connection between the two circumstances and calls it evidence, real evidence. " ’ I consider I am entitled to call it pure assumption based on a coincidence. As I said before, statistics can be made to appear to prove anything, particularly if one’s interpretation of them is biassed and illogical. Further, my critic thinks it strange that when I am drunk I should have sufficient control of myself to see that I do no't harm anyone else. If that were so, he says, I could not be drunk at all.

Possibly not, but before I accept his opinion on a matter so obviously one for the individual, I should like to know something of his own experiences in his cups.

When he has taken one cold tea too many, has he found himself quite out of control? Has he wanted to beat his wife over the head with the. water Weaker? Or has the hiccoughing induced by injudicious draughts of lemonade tried his patience to the point of violence? Vftnr<s ptp JOHN BARLEYCORN.