CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11481, 14 January 1903, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO CORR ESI'ONDKNTS.

R. K. Gicfn.—Your letter has appeared in another journal. TO CORRESPONDKNTS. A. F. Morrison. —Your letter has appeared elsewhere. UGENSIxiTREFORM. TO THE EDITOB OF THE I'RKSP. Sir. —1 have aead with a good deal of attention the letter in your issue of the Bta iust. on the iibove subject. I catinot understand, if atrotijr drink i* a good thinar for nv.'ii and women to imbibe, why the h-ale of i- should bu co hedged^ about witJi restrictions and penalties. For instance. •vßuuij'Uuiptiuii , ' siyge&is tlie lieaisiiy of barmaids. "Why? 1 can understand barmaid* being compelled to apply for _a lifers* tv pursue their calling if it- needs much skill, but what skill is needed to serve drink? Did anyone ever hear it suggested that a young woman should tak? ou: a license to sell oatmeal, or bread, or *u.nythiuj necessaiy and good for human beings to consume? It is only when we come to the s;ile of poison, wiiith alcohol is. that, all these precautions and restrictions are. called for. Very useless tht-y have proved in the past, and will be just as useless in the future. Wh*n people ki.cw a little more of what alcohol is and what it does, we shall be ax litde inclined ti» sanction t ( he sale of alcoholic beve: l as we are to alir-w opium smoking. It's nut the pe:«on who sells that hurt.s, it's the drink itself, and no system of sale has yet ixvn <levisod whereby j-trong drink can be sold without- causing physical, mental, and moral deterioration. As far as our colonial-made and imported drinks are concerned, is not. "Riunguniption" aware that this present Government paid either two or four <l am not quite sure which numlx-r is correct) gentlemen a handsome salary for two or three years to travel all over Xew Zealand and brittg to justice any who sold adulleiattd drink, and they never found such an individual. I believe once or twice a prosecution took place for an undue amount of water, and I am smre it must have e:ised tha/fears of drinkers .to know how well they are- supplied with what is cidled '"pure liquor." How ever good the liquor may be, if it contains aleebol (from whatever made) it is a. poisonous drink. I know there are different alcohols, all -deadly, but some deadlier than others. The wise man and woman will leave them absolutely alone.—Yoiflfs, etc.. ABSTAINER. St. Albans, January 10th, 1903.