CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 309, 25 September 1865, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

TVe shall always feel pleasure in affording space for the free discussion of all subjects affecting the pvosjierity and progress of the province and colony, not endorsing any opinions expressed in this portion of our columns, and always reserving to ourselves the right to curtail any expression wanting in courtesy on the part of the writer. All communications must be accompanied hy the name and address of the writer in conffdence, and as a guarantee of good faith.

[To tne Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.] Sib, —Your correspondent, “ A Working Mari' asks if there is any law to prevent publicans keep.ing people drunk for weeks together, and then asks why such a crime is not punished 1 You very properly pointed out the law of public opinion. But, Sir, you apparently forgot that there is law in a legal sense for the protection of the working man. If “ Working Mari' can prove that he was detained by force against his will, and kept drunk for weeks together, contrary to his desire, he can obtain redress, or at least the punishment of the parties offending. But if, on the other hand, “ Working Mari' stayed of his own accord, and consented to keep drunk for weeks together,—ruining his own health, losing Ms own time, and robbing his wife and children (if he has any) of their daily bread, and society of his services ; and at last, after spending all his hard-earned cash, and, in order to enable him to continue his course of robbery, he gives a promissory note for the next year's wages, for vaitje received, — I ask you, Mr Editor, is there no law to punish such a criminal ? Why are such persons exempted from the benefit of the Lunatic Asylum 1 Bui, perhaps, “ Working Man ” is a father or a brother of some such unfortunate individual. If so, he has my most cordial sympathy, and sorrow for his sufferings ; for, next to being a drunkard, I can imagine nothing so miserable as the nearest connections of one ; —-it being the peculiar attributes of this degrading vice not only to make its votaries wretched, but every one connected with them. Drunkenness may be termed the “ mother of ail mean vices f for do we not constantly see young men of good promise lured by the god Bacchus to join his retinue of votaries, —soon to become one of Ms most willing and devoted slaves : so much so, indeed, that he considers no sacrifice too great to make. Me will endure privation, self-immolation, hunger, and object dependence on others' charity to prove his devotedness. Me will form combinations with the “ Father of Lies,'' and sell his soul to the demon of fraud and theft, to obtain the wherewithal to enable Mm to kneel at his masters' feet, which could not happen unless—the soul, to vice enthrall. Desert her own original. Jn conclusion, Mr Editor, I may stale that Ipartly agrees with you when you observe that the evil lies in the nature of the traffic itself; and that the remedy lies in the overthrow of such traffic. To which let me add that the third conviction of drunkenness should, under certain circumstances, be made a criminal offence and treated as such. — I am, <fc., Another Wosnnr& Mah. {We saw no reason to suppose the above case * certainly it was not implied in the letter of a " Working Man." Tie truth is, that from the dime the first glass has passed the lips of the drunkard, his mil ceases to be under the control of hit ■ reason; and the crime a “ Working Man" refers i to seems to be the taking advantage of this state ofsemi-insanity, and prolonging it; for which, we I believe, there it no legal punishment. — Ed. M.B.T.J ■