Drink Problem

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 5

Drink Problem

-Pre«s Association.)

CHURCH DEBATES MATTER Bishop Bennett's Fears For the Maori TREMEND0US INCREASP

By Telegraph-

HAMILTON, TMs Day. A lengthy discusslon was provoked last evening at General Sjmod by a motion moved. by Archdeacon E. Hodgson (Rotorua) That this Synod views with apprehension the excessive conaumption of intoxicating liquor in tihis country and would urge the strlcter application of the existing laws. The Archdeaeon stated that the pori-* tion was brought home in Boterua, where hundreds of men employed in Afforestation and Public .Works oontract jobs were fftir prey foi; Eotoruai hotels. There was no question o£ graff or connivanee by the police, but there was excessive drinking. People did get drunk in the Dominion as in Eng-i land; they were drugged, as an inferior quality of liquor was often sold. Thei speaker said he had heard of prosecw tions regarding the quality of liquor sold. "I resent the statement that there is an excessive consumption ef liquor in tMs country," said Mr. 3. A. B. Huggins, a layman, of Wellington. "Whatever the position may be in Eotorua, New Zealand is admittediy one of the znost sober countries." The motion was supported by Bishop Bennett, who said .that at a recent Maori gathering in the Wellington Distriet Maori leaders deplored the increase in drinking among young men of various tribes and hoped that sometbing drastio would be done to'protect them from the ravages of tke habit, "I have noticed a tremendous increase in* the drinking; habits of the people, Maori as well as pakeha eince easy money came into their hands," added Bishop Bennett. "Every Saturday finds the bars crowded, and I know of one case where the numher of barmen was increased six times over on account of the free day on Saturday. It is very pathetic to find some Maori inothers roused almost to tears when they realise the havoc which is being done to their race by the incteased drinking habits of the people. They, express the hope that the Government can be induced to prohibit the Maor| people from procuring liquor altogether." A novel note was struck by Bishop Holland (Wellington), who stated that h© once ran a public house for seven years. The hotei was known as Parson'g Fub. It was under disinterested management and the profits went to pay the church organiet. "My association with the^publio house led me to take up the whole problem,"' he said. "The only hope of making the liquor a normal and not an abnormal thing in the life of the community ia the elimdnation of private profits." The advisability of urging State cohtrol or other meane of eliminating private profits, also methods of dealing with, the drinking-at-dances problem were under discussion when Synod adjourned. ■ . ■ ' v