THE UNWISE SOLDIER.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1916, Page 6

THE UNWISE SOLDIER.

To the Editor. Sir,—After reading the Daily News this morning I -,ee quite plainly, as Mr. D. J Hughes dons, that there is need of another philanthropic society in this country. We want some means of sheltering the "unwise soldiers"; and, seeing that the Soldiers' Club will not undertake this task, what can be done but to start another society for the protection of the unwise soldier? It must not be a prohibition society. It must be a society to do what thft Club will not do, and what Mr. Burgess suggests the ho(els should do. But here arises the difficulty. Mr. Burgess evidently reads in his British history how in the days long ago the drink-seller did provide clean straw for his victims to lie on and recover from their intoxication; but that will not do in these days. The law now is most unmerciful, for while it licenses the hotel-keeper to make men drunk, it ;loes not license them to allow'the finished article—a drunken man—to remain on the premises. As soon as he is drunk out he must go. According to Mr. Hughes the licensees do their duty by turning out the unwise , after they (the liquor sellers) have availed themselves to the full of the privileges their licenses grant in the matter of selling drink. Seeing that the Club, led by Mr. Hurgc-ss, is to be so hard-hearted there is need for a Society for the Protection of Unwise Soldiers, and it would be a gracious thing if Mi. D. ,1. Hughes weru made the first President of the S.P.U.S. They will then need an inspector, who must he a man of experience and strength and skill, and properly equipped offices with nothing less than clean straw (o lie on. If lesired I will further elaborate my plan in your columns, with your kind permission.—l am, etc., GEO. H. MAUNDER,