“GIRLS AND COCKTAILS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 524, 29 November 1928, Page 1

“GIRLS AND COCKTAILS”

Dropping of Local Option Poll Blamed for Defeat of Prohibition ASSEMBLY ON TEMPERANCE BY this time we would have got New Zealand practically dry if we had kept to local option, but we have been driven back,” declared the Rev. Dr. J. Gibb, when the temperance question came before the Presbyterian General Assembly to-day. Newspapers were attacked by one speaker for not publishing propaganda free, the menace of “cig'arettes and cocktails” to the young was stressed, and ministers and elders were urged to give up their pipes and cigars in order to put temptation out of the way of the youth.

‘T’KB committee emphatically -*■ asserts that the defeat of the licensing Bill is a further evidence of the power of the liquor trade over the political machine and would urge our people to continue their demand that the people be permitted to decide the liquor question according to democratic principles.” declared the report of the Temperance Committee. “DOG IN THE FABLE” The assembly clerk, the Rev. J. H. Mackenzie, expressed disappointment that so little progress had been made this year. After a life in the temperance movement he thought a great mistake had been made in dropping the loct.l-optiou method. It seemed that the method of the movement would have to be altered. “We have been like the dog in the Aesop fable. We have lost both bone and shadow,” said Dr. Gibb. "Temperance wa3 spreading up and down before we dropped local option. I recommend that the committee get back to local option.” Mr. James Aitken (Wanganui) undertook to name the causes which had given setbacks to temperance. The first was t_ie merger in manufacturing liquor, and the second, “the splendid lie-factory against us.” NEWSPAPER SCANDAL “The third is the newspapers,” he ceclared. "We have been turned down by practically all the journals, which have refused to publish anything we give them, at less than 7s 6d an inch. It is a perfect scandal that they should refuse all correspondence not paid for .it that rate.” (Cries of “Shane!”) Then, continued the speaker, America was against them because of the statements issued by the liquor trade and "swallowed by unthinking people.’ Immigrants also were against prohibition. Almost every man and woman from the Old Country being for liquor. (Cries of “Question.”) Six o’clock closing was against them because it had minimised the evils of the trade. There was a lack of proper education of tile young. Also the fact that the political poll anc. the no-licence poll were taken at the same time was not good. There would never be a clean poll until they were separated. “There is too much compromise on the part of the Alliance with the world,” declared Mr. Aitken, “and in strategy the liquor people have it all their own way.” ORINKING AMONG YOUNG ‘‘lt is a matter of common knowledge that the young people are drinking.” he continued. Voices: Some of them. “Well, I don’t say all, but a great number are taking to cocktails and other forms of drink, especially the girls. Along with the cocktails and before them go the cigarettes. “Who taught the girls to smoke?” he asked, and replied to the question, “The boys.” "Who taught the boys?’’ —the men. Before the poll, hundreds of drinkers were willing to sacrifice their drink if prohibition came. Are you willing to give up your cigarettes and pipes and cigars for the benefit of the boys?” “I leave it to you and appeal in the name of Christ to give up

smoking for the sake of the boys and girls.” Dr. R. Krwin (Christchurch) appealed to the Assembly not to divide the temperance forces. He knew the Alliance had made mistakes, but there should be no disagreement ou policy. "SLICE OF THE MOON” The Rev. W. J. Comrie, chairman of the Standing Committee of the New Zealand Alliance, objected to “destructive criticism.” The pressure of the country and not the leaders of the Alliance had swept out local option and it was as much use to ask for it back as for a “slice of the moon.” At present Parliament was able to block things so easily that local option had not the remotest chance. The Alliance was convinced that the progress in future must be on the lines of education rather than agitation. By this means there would he less danger of “our boys and girls taking to cocktails and other harmful things.” The Hon. J. B. Gow, M.L.C., said that the seeking of the re-establisli-ment of local option was a hopeless chance. The presence of anomalies and abuses raised public opinion to abolish local option law. It was a mistake to suppose that the gains made in districts were due to local option; they were due to an educational campaign. Commenting on his recent trip to America he said, “Prohibition was the best solution to the liquor traffic that I was able to discover.” The Rev. L. H. Hunt urged educational methods, saying that he doubted if Bauds of Hope could do much use in these days of cinemas. The Rev. J. Ryburn said that the Alliance had become a political body; the Church should consider the moral and spiritual side. The Alliance wanted to enter the churches merely for the collection of money. An objection to“nagging” was raised by the Rev. J. Paterson (Wanganui), for no body had more say in the running of the Alliance than the Presbyterian Church. Attempts had been made by the enemies of the movement to undermine the machinery of the Alliance, and he appealed for unity. The debate was adjourned.