PROHIBITION ORDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 8, 28 May 1914, Page 4

PROHIBITION ORDERS.

Are prohibition orders effective J According to a statement made in the Supreme Court last week by Mr. Clias. Ahier, the question cannot be answered in the affirmative. He stated that lio •had 110 faith 111 prohibition orders, and having had a great deal of experience never now asked a man to sign the pledge unless he could convince that man that drink would cause his rain. On Mr. Justice Edwards remarking that prohibition orders were beneficial in some cases, Mr. Ahier replied that they might be, and that lio had no objection to them, but if he were, allowed to take charge of the person in mitigation of whose punishment he was pleading, die would pledge his work to make a man of him.. There is little doubt but that (lie most hopeless inebriate can be convinced in his lucid moments that exces. sive drinking will cause his ruin. 'No one knows that more than lie, and perhaps 110 one feels the consequent degradation more, hut what chanco lias he got in fighting what must be recognised as a disease? His will and moral power mnsl first of all be strengthened. If this can be done, lie has a chance of winning out and redeeming himself. No doubt friends of the type of Mr. Airier can do much in this regard, but it is no easy undertaking. The taking out of prohibition orders is but a pallitive; it is seldom a cure. Anyone who keeps his eyes open knows that prohibition orders never prevent a prohibited person from obtaining supplies. There is a class of contemptible wretch in every community that is always ready to act as "cutter-runner." lie buys the liquor and sees that the victim pays, anil pays dearly, for it. Sly drinking of this nature is morally and physically worse than open drinking. It would be a different matter if the miserable go-be-tween could he eliminated, and the victim kept from drink for an uninterrupted period. Then the craving might leave him, and enable him to build up his will power and ultimately perhaps )'/ resist temptation and regain his manhood. Convincing an inebriate that alcohol will utterly ruin him is unneecsiarr, for the heavier the drinker lie is I lie more he is convinced already that drink leads to perdition. Alcoholism is a disease, and must he treated as such. An they are carried out at present, prohibition orders are ineffective and responsible for a great deal of law-break-ing and hypocrisy.