WHY AN EFFICIENCY LEAGUE ?

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1918, Page 4

WHY AN EFFICIENCY LEAGUE ?

FITNESS OF OUR SOLDIERS

WHAT NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE DONE.

(Reprinted from the “ N.Z. Times,” of September 10th. 1918.)

The Prohibitionists'have, since the beginning of the war, said that our licensing system for the sale of alcoholic beverages has rendered our soldiers less efficient; but everywhere on the battlefields of the world they have proved their valour and efficiency and become the admiration of all the Allied Generals Sir Joseph Ward arid the Right Hon Mr Massey bear testimony to our soldiers’ high reputation as men and fighters for Liberty and Freedom. As athletes they are unequalled. Here is how the London “Times” cable service expressed it, as published in New Zealand newspapers :

IN THE ATHLETIC ARENA NEW ZEALAND SWEEPS THE HOARD. Loxpon, August 2G “The New Zealanders swept the board at the athletic sports at Woking on August; 24th. Corporal D. Mason won the half-mile from scratch in lmin 58 2-ssee; J. Lindsay won the hundred yards; New Zealand’s team won the relay race.” Met certain gentlemen, tor reason** best known to themselves, stand npon the public platforms, and continuously through the press, assert that on account of existing conditions of selling liquor m New Zealand, our soldier boys suffer in efficiency ! No patriot —no honourable man who honours the New Zealand soldiers- would malign them so grossly. Prohibition is not wanted—for no soldiers are more lit or more efficient or better-belmvod as men than the New Zealanders. Is this newly-invented Efficiency League playing the game ? Ah ! hut we want prohibition, they argue, so that the money now spent in liquid refreshment may be spent in soft goods. (Vide the Rev R. >B. Cray, at Auckland : “If we get prohibition, the people will have more money to spend on- drapery, etc.”j When it is considered that the leading efficiency “sprnikers ” are engaged or interested in the soft goods trade, the idea that, prohibition is wanted to promote their trading interests is just the emanation of crass greed and selfishness, and may be dismissed accordingly, Theirs is not patriotism —it is profiteering.

THE VKOl’r.K’s EKTOUTS TO WIN' THE WAG

The people of New .Zealand have loaned to the National Government £35,000,000 since the war broke out. The'people have paid £13,500,000 more in taxation to the General Government since-the war broke out than would have been the case had taxation remained at the figure of 19.3, The business community of New Zealand had deposits at the commercial banks amounting to £25,733,000 in 1913. In 19 s 8 the deposits stood at £5<*,101,352.

The credits at the Savings Banks in 1913 amounted to nearly £19,00 ’,OOO in 1917 the credits had risou to £32,000,000. Thus, while the war was raging, onr people aeon initiated £38,000,000, and advanced £35,000,000 to the General Government. Yet, because they save over £SO,Ou6,OOG inside the four years and spend less than threepence per day' per head on alcoholic liquors, they are told by men who presume to be business men that they are suffering from inefficiency! The Prohibitionists and the Efficiency League are never tired of maligning the soldiers and libelling the penple of this Dominion.

What all loyal and patriotic citizens should do is to repel the groundless allegations made by the Prohibitionists and the so-called Efficiency League. The best way to do this at present is by appending your name to the monster petition prepared by the National Council of New Zealand, which contains the three issues, viz., National Prohibition, National Ownership, National Continuance. Do it now for the cause of Patriotism, Freedom and Democracy.:— *