W.C.T.U. MEETING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3527, 21 August 1926, Page 2

W.C.T.U. MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the W.C.T.U. was held in the Methodist schoolroom last Thursday afternoon. There was a good attendance and as it was the Annual Payup Social the treasurer, Mrs Downes was kept busy. Arrangements were made to send a delegate to the District. Convention to he held in. Masterlon in September, also for the next Band of Hope meeting.

Mrs Pcryman gave a short address upon the Dominion Bill for Strong Drink. The fact was emphasised that over 8i million pounds were spent in strong drink last year an increase of more than a quarter of million from 1924. These figures mean that £28,350 were spent on drink'a day last year for every day the bars were open, this is £950 a day more than in 1924.

The drink Bill last year mas greater than the money spent by the State on every form of education from primary to University and including technical. Last year the people of this Dominion poured down their throats a sum more than sufficient to pay every pension allowed by the Government. To quench ils thirst last year New Zealand spent more than the combined post, telegraph and telephone services cost the Government, In a time of stress, when employment was scarce and money tight, the liquor sellers took enough- money to pay the total rates collected by every local body in the Dominion, to pay the whole amount collected by the Government as income fax, and then have half a million to spare. The speaker pointed out that it was no wonder U.S.A. was wealthy, when the £500,000,000 spent on drink was now spent on useful things, or else-put into thrift enterprises that stimulate production and employment. The money we spend on liquor would be spent on other things such as groceries, drapery, books, etc., and you cannot buy anything returning less to" the worker than liquor does.