CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2294, 12 September 1908, Page 1

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Correspondence on public mutters is welcomed at all times, but it must bo distinctly understood that tins journal is in no wny associated witu the opinions of its correspondents.]

THE EFFECTS OF NO-LICENSE

[To the Editor.] Sir,—ln tho letter signed “Britisher” in yesterday’s issue t,hero aro ono or two points upon which ho has apparently boon misinformed, and which, in justico to tho clorgymon ho mentions, should bo corrected. Ho refers to tho Itov. Canon Dodd as the Rector of Balclutha, and that ho says that his district is in a “minorabio state through prohibition, oto.” As a matter of fact Canon Dodd has not been Rector of Balclutha sinco 1903, but lives in another part of Otago altogether, and tho statement attributed to him was itmdo in the early days of no-liconso in Clutlia many years ago and hag boon long sinco quito falsified by facts. With regard to tho statement of “Britisher” that tho Rev. Air Whitohouse of Ashburton is against no-liconso, I think again ho lias not represented Air Whitehouso’s present attitudo correctly. Sinco that goutloman has had experience of tho working of no-licenso in Ashburton, he speaks enthusiastically of its success. —I am, etc., “FAIR PLAY.”

ORIGINS OF INTE-,ITERANCE,

[To the Editor.] Sir, —I read that tho marked increase of intemperance in a certain largo Australian city is attributed to growing prosperity. This, to English ears, sounds a most strange doctrine, for it is to poverty and unhappiness, misery in the home, and ignorance that we attribute intemperance in large English cities. But tho question is worthy of thought. Why do men become intemporato in tho uso of artificial stimulants and narcotics— taking alcohol as the most common example? Alcohol has a primary stimulant action by which tho brain is wakened to artificial activity, duo to the loss of control, and in secondary action, when thoiquantity is increased, of narcotism ; when man’s sorrows are drowned .in the bowl, 'and the artificial llowers painted on tho graves of his hopes givo peace to a blunting of the man’s reason and the anaesthetising of all unpleasant facts. There aro grades of intemperance. Ido not say that any, except tho hereditary, are free from blame, but undoubtedly there are higher and lower origins for the same evil habit. Take, as an example of the higher origin, the easo of a man possessed of great intellectual powers, who becomes a drunkard; such men almost always go on to the secondary action of alcohol (if they resort to alcohol at all, for it is more often morphine which claims such victims); such a man has a brain and intellect, which makes him the victim of the curse of thought; an ever wakened, restless, continual spur to intellectual enquiry, an unrest and dissatisfaction with self; a dull desire often rising into a wild passion to get rid of the burden of unsatisfied self. Within the man burns an inextinguishable fire of ceaseless enquiry, which becomes a force burning him up, and at any cost, he will sometimes fly to artificial means of rolief, such as stupefaction by di-ink, which for the moment dulls the edge of his restlessness. And the same applies to the man who strives to forget somo life-crashing grief and sor-' row; wornout until his nis will is undermined, he takes an artificial anaesthetic for his wearied mind. These aro the higher origins of intemperance. Then, there is the man whoso nouso is miserable, and whose daily stress of mind over the ugly, sordid, money aspect of life drives him to seek for a momentary forgetfulness in alcoholic narcotism. That, is a little lower origin, becauso it proves some want of courage in facing the stings and sorrows of outrageous fortune; but it may be it is like the first origin I have defined, far more to be forgiven than those lower forms of intemperance, which I will placo last. Before the last, and lowest origin of intemperance comes that which actuates tho man who has not pluck to face the facts of life, cannot bravely go through its greyness, dulness, routine and commonness, its dreary waiting for fulfilment of hopes and ambitions, doomed to ultimate failure—its manifold disappointments, its daily failures—this is a little lower origin. And, at tho bottom of all, lowest, and least to be forgiven, comes the form of intemporaiico which takes its origin in mere animal gratification; the small man' who thinks ho is great when drunk; the man who is nobody and thinks himself somebody when drunk; and the man who takes intoxication as a pleasure, and amongst this lowest class I placo tho men who drink because they are prosperous. There is no excuse for this form of intemperance; there is no natural stress or restless intellect, or grey, hard, dreary life or miserable homo to drive such a man to drink for temporary relief — for lie is simply a drunkard. I do not include the man who, through heredity from drunken parents has implanted in him at birth the ghastly curse of alcoholic craving. He, poor soul, should be pitied and protected by all men and women, as freely as if lie were possessed by insanity or hereditary disease, if once ho is permitted to experience intoxication by alcohol in the slightest degree, and, alas! that is should bo so—there are men who are guilty of even, putting his curse in his hands wilfully. He is as helpless as a straw oil the surface of an ocean wave. To such, all the human love we have should fie extended ; there is no blame for him; those who conferred on him on him his temperament were the sinners, not himself.—l am etc.

“LONDONER.”

EFFECTS OF NO-LICENSE

, [To the Editor.] Sir, —Britisher has been driven from one position to another so many times that the wonder is he has not wearied in his playing hop, skip, and jump. Sir, “Britisher” has disregarded the old saying “look before you leap,*’ Up 'l» a s nojt taken the precaution to look first, hut has jumped “out of the frying pan into the fire.” For instance, "the vicar of Ashburton, who at the time No-licenso was carried was one of its strongest opponents. This same vicar lias closely watched the working of No-license in his parish, and as the result of his observations has been' thoroughly converted to No-Hcenge, and is now one of .its most ardent supporters. Sir, “Britisher” has not followed your correspondence columns very closely or ho would have seen Mr. Whitehouse's Intest utterances on this subject, which ho states as follows (see “Times” Sept. 7)“Previous to Nolicenso coming in lie had stood aloof. Ashburton was a town of 6000 inhabitants, and .it had six hotels and a club when he first came, and there was the same loafing about the publichouses, the same disgusting scenes, the same temptations to boys, and the same liability to insult as in other towns; but he was pleased to say tho town was quite clean now, and, ill fucf;, he believed oiio of the cleanest in New Zealand. It was in a flourishing condition. The publicans thought they were ruined, hut lie was pleased to say the hotels had all fetched their price, and were now prosperous shops, offices, and private hotels, which were well conducted and financially sound. The club kept up its membership, and some businesses had doubled since No-license came. The co-operative store had increased from £33,000 in 1902 to £60,000 in 1907. He did not lay much stress on that side. Give the people character and they will make money. The growth of the temperance sentiment Ijad been very marked. He was pre-

sidont of tho football and numerous social clubs, and had attended the smoko conceits and socials, both boforo No-liconso camo in and since, and lie could safely say tho practice of drinking was fast dying out. Ho thanked God for No-liconso, and ho intended to do his best to keep it, and to extend tho hounds of its iniiuouco.” Now, “Britisher,” where, oh, whoro, is your point now? Just whoro the liquor party will bo after tho next poll. Sir, the position taken up by ‘Britisher” that the prohibition party aro best friends of the publican is too utterly ridiculous to require answering; unless he means “that wo are trying to help him out of a bad business.” Why do not the brewers and publicans join hands with us and vote No-liconso? Instead of this they aro spending many thousands of pound's and ' wasting Hindi paper and ink in fighting us; yet in spite of nil this people are getting their eyes opened to tho fact that tho licensed traffic in. liquor is tlicir greatest enemy.—l tun. etc., FRANCIS STAFFORD.! ’^

EFFECTS OF O‘LICENSE,

[To the Editor.]

Sir, —It is quite amusing to take nolo of tho gyrations of'your correspondent “Britisher” in his olforts to free himself from a position that cannot be altogether pleasant to him. His efforts in the past, have not evidently panned out to his satisfaction, but seeing that ho has such a bad client to defend this cannot he wondered at, and his latest somorsault cannot be at all.'complimentary to his judgment. For instance, he presumes to quote tho Rev. Air. Wlntehouso, vicar of Ashburton, whoso candid opinion appeared in your Alonday’s issue, and which is highly complimentary to the 110-license regime. It would bo interesting to know the date of “Britisher’s” quotations. Then, again, “Britisher” says:—“lf you want, to know what a prohibition district can drink, just look at the return of Ashburton Alagistrato’e Court, which shows that strictly in accordance with tho law AsliTiurton has drunk its beer by thousands of gallons, and its spirits by thousands of lrottles.” It would be interesting to know when this occurred—-before or after prohibition. Tim Court records say before, and, as published, read: Convictions for drunkenness for 1902 under license 117, 1904 no-license 23, 1906 110-license 42, 1907 uo-license 44. For the quarter ended June 30, 1908, seven persons wore convicted and fined for drunkenness, but, Bays the “Ashburton Guardian,” several of these wore apprehended while passing through the town by train, while at least two strangers wore arrested on their arrival in Ashburton by train.” Of the 117 convictions recorded in 1902 under license, six were for excessive drinking. In the same year, 1902, there were 34 prohibition orders issued by the Court. In 1907, under no-liconso (last year) there was ono. Now. “Britisher,” I should like to know where the Ashburton Alagistrate’s Court shows strictly in accordance with law'tliat tho “thousands of gallons of beer, and thousands of bottles of spirits have been drunk in Ashburton” since no-license came into operation. Tho Court returns say “No.” It does not require Bridget or any other body (unless they are stone blind) to sweep behind the door to find the dirt in tho liquor traffic. It is so patent on our streets and in our Police Courts, and in many other places, too, and a wise comparison between Ashburton (no-licenso) and Gisborne (liconso), as expressed in the later police report, before the Licensing Connnitteo is not creditable reading for a maintenance of liquor interests in this district, anyhow.—l am, etc... ' “NEW ZEALANDER.”