LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 August 1940, Page 3

LIQUOR TRAFFIC

DENOUNCED BY BISHOP OF AOTEAROA DEMAND FOR REFORMS. IN INTERESTS OF MAORIS AND YOUNG PEOPLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “I feel ashamed of our Christian civilisation, that we should allow such a traffic to continue. Surely there should be no room for so degrading a traffic,” said the Rt Rev F. A. Bennett, Bishop of Aotearoa, opening the annual meeting of the New Zealand Alliance in Wellington yesterday. He was referring to the liquor traffic, and in particular to the sale of alcohol to Maoris, and to young people. Bishop Bennett said he was sure that out of all the misery of the present war, the way would be opened up for further reforms. In the past it had been a hard fight to have the closing hours for hotels altered from 11 to 10 o’clock at night, but wnen the last war came the hours had been further limited, to 6 o'clock He thought the present war would give further opportunity for reform. The decision not to have wet canteens in the Territorial camps had been a wonderful thing, and was made because they had been on the alert. They should continue to create public opinion in all parts of the country. He was sure the leaven they had spread throughout the community was beginning "to take effect. The meeting adopted the following resolution: —

"That the attention of the Government be drawn to the deplorable increase in convictions for the illegal sale of intoxicants to members of the Maori race, an increase from 146 convictions in 1935 to 436 for last year; and, further, that this conference believes that the surest method of improving the position is by substantially increasing the fines, and the provision, if necessary, for terms of imprisonment. for all those who so deliberately flout the laws of the country.”