LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 226, 9 June 1877, Page 2

LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

(2b (he Editor of the Patea Mail.)

Sin, —I noticed by your issue of the 2nd Jane, that the Hoik W. Fox would lecture at Kaiiaramoa. There are persons wiki, consider Mr Eon mad on the subject ol temperance. Mr Fox is possessed of high intellect and reflective mind Ilia early years were devoted to politics, and lie seems to be devoting' bis latter years to reform those drinking customs that yearly bring - thousands of our race to misery, destitution, vice, and crime. We are members of the British Nation —a people that assume to be highly civilised and enlightened—a people abhorring' slavery and persecution. let wo apathetically stand by and see thousands of our women and 'children yearly driven to destitution, starvation, and crime, because their husbands and fathers have become slaves to drinking habits. We are a charitable naiiou. If we hear of famine and starvation in India, China, or elsewhere, our Government and public are ever ready to relieve their sufferings. Yet, strange to say, though ever ready to assist foreigners, our Government take no steps to check those drinking customs that yearly bring - starvation on thousands of our race.

We have a swarm of clergymen of various denominations. The majority of these shepherds of the people seem to consider their duties only are to collect money from the people, by getting up concerts, bazaars, rallies, Re ; to preach on tin ml ays in the churches, and visit the well-to-do members of their congregation during the week. The lust sheep ol their Hocks may remain lost, may starve, or be driven to prostitution and vice. Mo long as their churches are filled with gaudily dressed congregations, and their own salaries subscribed, they appear satisfied to lot the lost sheep perish. The apathy shown by the majority of these good shepherds is, considering their calling, reprehensible. Not only are many of them apathetic on this question, but some lew oppose and denounce temperance societies as mischievous, secret societies. Instead of being foremost in suppressing Ihecanse of crime and vice, they actually uphold and encourage it. .Probably, Mr Fox in advocating total abstinence, is taking Loo long a step in the right direction. If- is a national habit tied; will lake time to erntnca.ie. Dor ana ought to be to chock drunkenness —to more severely punish those persons who spend their whole earnings in drunken debaucheries, who starve tiic-ir families, to innings in this degrading vice, ami become a nuisance to society.

The public would not support legislation that (ended to enforce Tula! Abstinence, bnfc (he majority of the public would supany legislation that aimed at the suppression of drunkenness. Wo are not tola! abstainora, at the same (imo we are not a nation of drunkards. Wo arc aware that there arc drunkards anion# us that are a disgrace to us as a people, or nation. Our Government are chiefly to blame for this disgraceful national stain. Legislation can remove Ibis stain by making drunkenness a more serious crime than at present legally regarded. Instead of the paltry ss. and 10s. line, were drunkards imprisoned for terms of from one to twelve months, without option of paying lines, a great reformation would be effected. Some of the confirmed would, probably, spend years in jail. Such men arc only fitted to bo inmates of lunatic asylums, or jails, where their labours would benefit the public. At large such men arc only a nuisance and disgrace to the public, a misery to them selves and all who may bo connected with them. 'The Government cannot enforce total abstinence by legislation ; nor is it desirable they should attempt to do so. But, legislation can put a stop to habitual drunkenness. Legislation can save thousands who are yearly driven to destitution, vice, theft, and prostitution, by passing an Act making drunkenness a more serious crimp, and visiting it with a heavier punishment.—l am, &c., COLONIST.