DRUNKENNESS IN NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3107, 11 June 1917, Page 6

DRUNKENNESS IN NEW ZEALAND

Sir,—ln the Press reports of Dr. Newj man's speech at the "early closing meetin" on Thursday nignt he is credittil with sayinjr that there was now more drunkenness in New Zealand than ever. This sir, i≤ quito contrary to lact, nnd, a the public may be inclined to take 'the statement as correct on account oi it having been made by a member ol Parliament, who one would naturally expect to be particular about his public utterances. I venture to ask you to Rive spac:- to the actual figures, which show a decided decrease since the war. lney are, vido I3lite> Book, as follows-.— I inii 33,480 jj)l 5 ..'. 13,38-1 ibi'c " i<W 9B We can see at a glance that in 1016 there were ■2,i&l less convictions than in the I fatal year of l'Jlt, when in the eighth month' this war was launched upon the world, it will perhaps come as a blow to the Prohibitionists to know that the only places where a deckled increase m drunkenness has occurred since the war are the No-License districts. The Kinio ■remarkable state of affairs is found in regard to general crime, which shows a decrease for the whole dominion, but an increase in the No-License districts'. Truly si bad advertisement for the restrictions that our Prohibition friends are so anxious to impose on the whole commu,nity.-I am, Juno 0.