SIX O’CLOCK CLOSING

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1724, 12 June 1917, Page 3

SIX O’CLOCK CLOSING

The Rev. J. H. Bredin, during the course of his sermon at the local Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning referred to the agitation throughout the dominion for early closing of liquor bars, and urged hi> congregation to support the petition. In the preacher's opinion, lota! prohibition was the only means of doing away with the drink evil, but iu this instance half a loaf was better than no broad. He regretted that New Zealand was behind every other part of the British Empire iu dealing with the liquor question at a time when the fate of the Empire was trembling in the balance, and instanced Canada's action in bringing in prohibition. What was the use of our National Government urging economy upon the people when it allowed every facility for squandering money on drink —the greatest cause of national inefficiency. He sincerely hoped that the Government would do the right thing in connection with this subject when Parliament assembled. Healing editorially with the subject of early closing of liquor bars, Saturday's Evening Post says: “It m tad surprising to find a renewal of (he agitation in favour of the early closing of hotels. AA hen the question was before Parliament last year, The Post, in stressing the necessity of conserving the country’s resources and cheeking useless extravagance and waste, urged that the stile of alcoholic drinks was a non-essential to which the pruning knife of economy could, within reason, be applied. The basis of the ease for early closing —a basis logically impressive to till dispassionate people—was admittedly not military nor moral, but economic. It wiis not ;i ease ot swallowing a Prohibit ion nostrum, nor of assisting the propaganda of the Temperance Parly. It was a war-win-ning reform, national in its scope, ami supported hy a representative body of public opinion. As a result of (he timidity of the Government in failing to give a clear-cut lend, Parliamcnl compromised on Ihe question, and introduced the nnli-shouling legislation. Since then another twelve months have gone by, and events in the Interval have inlensilied the necessity for prudent and reasonable economy reforms. This is evidenced in the curl ailment of railway facilities , and in other directions. The question is: Have public expectations been satisfied hy the compromise already made hy (he anti-shouting restrictions? At Dunedin recently some emphatic opinions were expressed hy a representative deputation in favour of further restrictive action by (he Government ‘as a war measure —nrgent, obvious, and imperatively necessary.’ . . . AVe do think that, its a result of the exigencies of the war, a si rung case has been made out for a reasonable limitation of hoars daring (he period of the Avar. The question must, however, he divested of all partisan feeling, and approached from the broad standpoint of war-Avinning efforts.”