PROHIBITION AMD DRUNKENNESS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 41, 15 December 1911, Page 17

PROHIBITION AMD DRUNKENNESS.

Sir, —It has been very interesting to read the correspondence on prohibition (for and against) in "The Worker. , ' The tio-lipciise and prohibition party have been very active in espousing their cause. It makes one shudder to hear '.he harrowing stories of the slums in •uir fair cities. It is horribly interest\ng to imagine the pictures depicted of crime, squalor and misery, etc., so faithfully pourtrayed by the able speakers now' touring the Dominion on the ere of election. No doubt their oratory -will have a largo influence on the voters, especially the women. But after all, is no-license or even prohibition the remedy for this evil? I think not. The crime and misery is not caused by drink, but drunkenness, abuse and not use. Excess in anything is dangerous. ~.Ve hear from extremists that alcohol in any form is harmful, wihch may be so in isolated cases when suffering from certain complaints, but hardly applies U> the masses of moderate drinkers. If our greatly agitated reformers are sincere, they are not aiming at the man who takes a glass of ale or wine in moderation.

To advocate no-license or prohibition is a crude method of settling the drink evil ancl neither scentific nor progressive. I have been living in Waihi during the wet and dry periods, and for being the most orderly and respectable town I hand Waihi the bun. When the pubs, were open it was as mild as a Sunday school picnic. It is still like a Sunday school picnic, only smaller. I have not met many of my pals who have been deprived of their pot, only they have it homo with mother and the children. The drunks still congregate round a keg, and never leave till it is finished. The closing at 10 p.m. is not enforced. Mother and the youngsters have to wait a few hours longer than before. When I hear no-license advocated with such fervour I guess it is only handing out bird seed, and they know it. There is not the slightest doubt prohibition will absolutely stop drink and all its evils. But can it be carried out? Will legislation positively stop any evil such as drink or gambling? Will it stamp out the _ social evil? Has it ever been done in history? The average human being has a knack of being unruly and contrary, and often breaks laws which do not appeal to him as just or reasonable. ,If a father is incapable of controlling an unruly child, one way to cure the evil would be to kill the child. A better way to euro would be to place the child in a home under proper control provided by the State. I once travelled in a pleasure boat, when a linlf-wittcd man jumped overboard and was drowned. Since then they are keen on keeping half-witted people under control. The boats are still running and the people have their pleasure. It is not just to stop all drink in the interest of the drunkard and so stop the pleasure of the mode-rate. It seems as if >onr political fathers arc incapable of coivtrollina

their. unruly child, so must kill it. It would be a quicker method, but will be a tall contract. Why nob legislate in a sincere and practical manner? By all stamp out drunkenness. In the first place provide pure drink Tinder State control, dispense it under State control, nor for enormous profit, but for the convenience of the people. Abolish all the attractions surrounding the drinking shops. Cut to the .root of drunkenness and discourage the wasting of money by making it unlawful to shout. Eve./body that has evei entered a pub. knows that shouting it the greatest evil connected with tht drinking habit; 90 per cent, of the beej drinkers would welcome such a law. The drinks could be handed out through a small window and no more than twe or three served at one time. Dispense with ail seats, and discourage lounging. Make it unlawful to serve person*, showing any signs of drunkenness. Allow no more than two drinks to one person at a time. Provide no card rooms, sleeping accommodation, oi dining rooms for the public. Appoint Government dispensers, pay them goou wages, and encourage them to administer tiie law under inspectors engaged for that purpose. The results would be that beer would be good and cheap, drunkenness eradicated, and New Zealand would not be a huge prison wherein honest men would be brauded criminals for taking a little pleasure. " Workers, agitate and hustle to put your own class into Parliament. As advocates of Socialism they know what it is to suffer coercion, and know tht position of a minority. True Socialis'n studies the betterment of all, and noi simply the majority. Drunkenness can be subdued by controlling the cause in an intelligent manner, and not by th( sacrifice of some to benefit others.——! am, etc., E. PATRICK. Waihi,' October 25.