CONTROL OF SOCIAL EVILS

Southland Times, Issue 24830, 24 August 1942, Page 4

CONTROL OF SOCIAL EVILS

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, August 23. A crowd of estimated at over 3500 packed the Auckland Town Hall this afternoon and contributed £BO to the expenses of the meeting which was addressed by clergymen on the liquor traffic and social evils in relation to the war effort. The meeting demonstrated enthusiastic agreement with the speakers and carried a resolution: “That in view of the supreme emergency facing the nation requiring the elimination of all sources of weakness and the strengthening of life morally and spiritually, this meeting solemnly calls on citizens to meet the emergency by the personal example of strictly disciplined life and the exercise of their influence to bring this about in others.” Those present took a pledge to do their utmost to provide healthy means of recreation for the men and women of armed forces and called upon the civic authorities to provide adidtional facilities for social intercourse of young men and women away from an atmosphere of vice. Dealing with the restriction of serious abuses stated to exist, the meeting carried a resolution embodying 12 points for transmission to the Government. Some of the points were the closing of night clubs which existed for drinking purposes, the immediate appointment of more women police for the control of juvenile prostitution, the closing of all bars after mid-day on Saturday and the cessation of the sale of spirits.