DANGERS OF LIQUOR

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21211, 6 September 1940, Page 7

DANGERS OF LIQUOR

FURTHER REFORMS URGED CONCERN OF ALLIANCE “ I feel ashamed of our Christian civilisation, that we should allow such a traffic to continue,” stated the president of the New Zealand Alliance, the Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett, in a stirring address delivered at the Alliance’s 53rd annual meeting which was held in Wellington recently. The Bishop considered that the liquor traffic, and in particular the sale of alcohol to Maoris and to young people should be reformed still further. Despite all the misery caused by the present war the way would probably be opened up for further reforms. In the past, continued Bishop Bennett, it had been a hard fight to have the closing hours for hotels altered from 11 to 10 o’clock at night, but when the last war came the hours had been further limited to 6 o’clock. The chairman, Lt.-Col. F. W. Burton, in welcoming the delegates, emphasised the greatness of the Alliance’s cause and quoted Sir Herbert Samuel’s words: “For my own part, I believe that the Temperance Party, during the last sixty or seventy years, have performed services for the benefit of our people which are unsurpassed in the history of philanthropic movements in this country.” The Alliance viewed with alarm the wet canteens in the military camps, particularly those occupied by Air Force trainees. It was also decided to' draw the attention of the Government to the deplorable increase in convictions for the illegal sale of intoxicants to members of the Maori race. A resolution urging the Government to begin compulsory scientific temperance education in all schools throughout the country was carried unanimously.