EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1916, Page 8

EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.

ITS ORIGIN. GOOD CONDUCT OP YOUNG SOLDIERS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) ■ Wellington, Feb. 28. The demand for the early closing of hotels during the war period seems to have had its origin, as far ag Wellington is concerned, in the belief of certain ladies that the soldiers take too much strong drink. Other arguments, such as the need for. national self-sacrifices and the prevention of wasteful expenditure, have been advanced in support of the movement, but the protection of young soldiers has been the real text of most of the speeches oxi the subject. Without entering into the. merits of the controversy, one may say confidently that the soldiers who driiik to excess are a very small minority indeed.

Persons who are in search of exact information on this point have merely to place themselves outside the Lambton railway station between 10 and 11 p.m.. and see the men who have been on leave for the evening /boarding the train that is to take them/back to Trentliam. There may be a few dozen who show the effects of .liquor, out of 000 or .300 soldiers, and a little further investigation will show that the men who are "under *>,e influence" did n.it acquire their drinking habits 'in the camp. Cases of drunkeness among the more youthful soldiers are, in the experience of your correspondent, very rave indeed. The standard of conduct in. the camps is high and the feeling of espirit de corps is strong. The young soldier, finds plenty of older companions ready to see that he behaves himself. • This much should be said for the comfort, of the mothers who have given'of their best to the nation.

PERTINENT QUESTIONS. BY THE MODERATE LEAGUE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. An important stage in the movement for the early closing of hotel and club bars was readied to-day, when at a meeting of the central executive of the Moderate League a letter was forwarded to the Minister of Defence, asking for definite official information as' to the part indulgence in alcoholic refreshments has played with 'the Expeditionary Forces. The letter states that the executive consider that the military authorities are the only competent judges as to what regulations should govern soldiers in camp and oh leave, and contend that no pressure should be brought to bear on the Government to carry out the particular views of sections of the civilian population, unless there is obvious neglect of official duty. Replies are asked for on the following definite points: (1) Has there bi.vn aiiy material inefficiency of the Expeditonary Force and Reinforcements now at the front, due to drunkenness?: (2) Is drunkenness a material feature of the daily conduct of the camps in the Dominion?; (3) How many men have been discharged from the forces for drunkenness,; (4) Ha 6 drunkenness been responsible for retarding the training of the men?; (j) Have soldiers done anything to» their ovn detriment, or detriment of the civil life, of the Dominion, through ind-iigiiioe in alcohol when in camp, or or. leave, that would justify a aerious alteration of the civil law?