THE SLY GROG NUISANCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 868, 12 July 1879, Page 2

THE SLY GROG NUISANCE.

[to the editor.] Sir —Your correspondent “Justice," who I would suppose is a publican, ventures on a little gratuitous adviee to the Good Templars. We as a body seldom take the trouble to answer suoh letters, unless there really is something worth answering ; but as your correspondent is so much at sea in the matter of the Templar’s petition, I may as well take the trouble to put him right. He begins with suspecting-that the petition in question would contain a protest against so many hotels, to the population. Now, sir, no answer. is required to that part of it, as even he himself must have seen the unreasonable, number of hotels to the population before it occurred to his mind that, the Good Templars would likely be protest* ing. Your correspondent suggests' that our energies would be much, better spent if directed against the sly grog sellers. In answer to that I would Just inform your correspondent that we are individually and as a body under an obligation to do all in our power to stay the curse of intemprance. In seeking to be consistent with our obligation it matters little to us whether it be a licenesd hotel, or the veriest hovel of a shanty that is, the causes of intemperance; we must put it down if we can. We stated in our petition that if the Government would reduce the licensed houses to a reasonable number, that it would be the duty of eve;y Good Templar to do what he could to put down unlicensed houses. It is unfortunate for this sympathiser with the grog-selling business that in the next column to that in which his letter appears, a telegram informs ns of a father nearly murdering his infant child while under the influence of drink. Dues it matter to that child whether its father was supplied with the drink in a licensed .house, or not. There is a howl ,of indignation from society at large when such a c ise as this transpires, forgetting all the while that thousands.of children suffer a worse fate that of a lingering death by starvation-all through this cursed, traffic in drink.— am, &c., A. Good Templar. July 10, 1879. [to the editor.] Sir —l cannot think that the G. Ts. will upbraid me for attempting to direct their well-meant energies into the right channel, but by your leading article on Wednesday you slightly incline to that opinion. But by the publication of the continuation of my letter it "’ill be seen that, so far from attempting to abuse them, it would be my fondest wish that they vrould with the publicans, and stamp o«t the abuse.

Sir— In continuation, therefore,. I would urge upon the licensed victuallers of this town the necessity of some unity with regard to the evil of which I complain, as by so doing they would soon prove to the G. Ts. and the public at large that it is not the "hotels" which cause so much intemperanceand its concomitant "crime," as hasten laid to their doors. The only fealable reason.why they can be blamed is that they are open to examination, and any flaw in thiir conduct is duly exposed ; whereas fho sly grog-shops cannot be approached but hy such means as most men will not condescend to emplo . So it is the much-abused publican wli;

has to sutler for all. Were the Good Templara to join in some to |>ut down the nuisance, J am suit; the publicans of this town would ie only too happy to assist them by all legitimate means, and even the G. Ts. cannot hut admit that the '• Bonifaces " of Kumar-! are comprised of a fair average of honourable men. It must riot be thought that I am defendingthem ; they are quite able to do that themselves. But tie qjost rabid advocate of Temperance must admit th.it the calling of ail Hotel-keeper is a. necessary institution, vud cannot be dispensed ■with ; therefore, insfctad of trying legislative acumen to check the evil of intemperance, they ought rather to suppoit the legal trader, and by so doing assist to stay the growing evil, for I ilont think that hotels are the prolific source, of misery and wretchedness M'hich attends the abuse of ..-timuiants. I may perhaps he permitted to give an illustration, and one for which I can vouch, which occurred here no later than last week:—A man came to Kumara with something about £2O in his possession, lie went to see some old friends np the Lead, saw them, came to town with one or two, dropped into an hotel where he happened to he acquainted, had some moderate refreshment, and went away to see "life," as he called it, came back with a bruised face next day, and askec! for a drink, stating that .ho had 10.-t £l7 during the night. He said he did not stay in an hotel ; did not know exactly where he had been, but had been to a shanty, and that was the last he remembered. Had such a ease happened in an hotel, I leave it to be surmised what would have been the public verdict. This case is fact, and is ordy one, of hundreds of othei'Vases happening daily throughout New Zealand, and can be testified to by anyone calling upon Justice. July 11, 1879.