MRS. KINETON PARKES'S LECTURE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 29, 29 October 1918, Page 6

MRS. KINETON PARKES'S LECTURE

Sir,—With regard 1 to (ho assertions made by Mrs. Pnrkes ot the Pioneer Club, I desire to point out that since Mr. Lloyd George made the statement about Germany and liquor he has chan«ed his wind, and he now supports State * control and State purchase as the oniy way to progress and Temperance iVrs. Kiiieton Parkes «iid this: "No restriction was applied to the breweries in England. That statement is absolutely .. without foundation. The breweries were restricted, and their output of beer was restricted by 50 per cent.—from 36 -million, barrels to 18 million barrels per - year. I. Mrs. Parses also talked about the example of France, Russia, and Hio King as having banished liquor. France '■abolished absinthe, but she serves over a . pint of wine per day; to each of her eoldiers on active service, and Great Britain supplies her soldiers with rum in. the trenches arid beer in the estoniinets in France. Russia, by tho ukase of the Tsar, abolished vodka. This prohibition was instigated by the Germans for tie purpose of creating discontent among the people. Prohibition incited tho revolution, and the creation of Bolshevism, and put Russia out of tho war. The King resolved upon personal obstinem-u. in March of 1915. He had an accident in October of 1815, nnd in December his personal abstinence was renounced, ami it has never been revived. Two months 'ngo from the King's cellars of Buckingham Palace contributions of wine on iiohalf of the Red Cross sold at over JESOOO. ' Yet Mrs. Parkas says: King hw banished liquor." Mrs. Parkes says that 70 per cent, of New Zealanders colled to the colours\were rejected as unfit for military service. That statement is, "utterly unjustifiable. Mr: Massey, Sir Joseph- Ward, Sir James Allen, and distinguished generals of the Allied armies, have all borne tribute to the excellent of New Zealand manhood, its fitness, courage, and- good conduct everywhere. Mrs. Kineton Parkes ought to have told the members of the Pioneer Club that so necessary is alcoholic stimulant to lighting men that since the prohibition of beer was made to the German Arrjy in July last they have never since won a Ixittie, and the largest consumers-- of alcoholic liquors—the Belgians—have cov- „ ered themselves in glory since the German niilitarv authorities flopped the beer * to their soldiers—l am, etc., . ! G.L.M.