Licensing Laws

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 62, 6 December 1937, Page 8

Licensing Laws

h. w.

MILNER.

Sir, — You published to-day a statement of -mine prefaced with a remaTlc attributed to me which is misleading, incorrect, and inconsistent with the written statement I handed your reporter. The sentence which. was added without my authority — namely, "lt is not the duty of the NeW Zealand Alliance to give evidence enabling the' police to secure convictions in after-hour hotel cases" — is inconsistent with the closing sentence (which you did not publish) of my written statement, namely: "The New Zealand Alliance will assist in every way possible, .better law en* forcement, but it is the work of the police to gather evidence, and secure convictions to. . xestrain law-breaking." Y'ou will recognise the difference between these two sehtences and also the damage done in attributing to me (as superintendent of a.movement repre* senting. 240,000 citizens who stand for the elimination of the drink evil) this statement to the effect that it is not our duty to give evidence to assist the police. That is the duty of every good citizen, ( and the New Zealand Alliance will give' all the evidence that . comes its way, and will co-operdte in every way possible with the' police and licensing committees. Under the circumstances I would aslf you to publish the balance of the statement I wxote out, which was as f oilows: — "The information the New, Zealand Alliance has is to, the effect that thj liquor laws are being blatantly broken seven days. (and nights) of the . woek all over New Zealand. In lots of places where the police are genuinely trying to elean the position up ' they find themselves seriously handicapped. In some instances police inspectors have made definite . recommendations for the alteration of ihe law in order to assist them in their work. The Government should strengthen the hands of its of • ficers in this direetion. " The obtaining of Sunday and early closing is being strenuously fiought for in the Old Country by the Temperance Council of Christian Churches (all the Churches, including Catholic - and Church of England), yet in New Zealand six o'clock and Sunday closing, which have been a great bo-on to the country) are being .thrown away for want of power and authority to enfo.rce our own laws. ; ' ' The New Zealand Alliance will assist, in every way possible, better law enforcement, but it is the work of the police to gather evidence and secure convictions to restrain law-breaking." Thanking you in anticipation. — Yours, etc.,

General Superintendent N.Z. Alliance. Wellington, Dec. 4, 1937.