FROM OUR-“EXCHANGES”

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 2, 1 March 1946, Page 6

FROM OUR-“EXCHANGES”

Ihe “New Zealand Baptist,” January issue, 1946, says, speaking on the Liquor Commission:— People should not forget that the whole set-up of the liquor trade in the -Dominion has been scrutinised by a Royal Commission. A mass of evidence has been collated and argued over by learned counsel. Till the Commission pronounces, through Mr. justice Smith, on the whole issue, it would be improper to comment. The public should, however, recognise that when the report comes forth it will not be legislation. If drastic proposals are made—and we have every right to expect that they will be —the lobbies of the House will buzz with intrigue. The trade will f. Hit against everything but innocuous reform. But who, that has casually rca-« the evidence through the past few months, will doubt that the interests of the country demand “root and branch” treatment. We have been very impressed with the care and skill shown by Mr. H. W. Milner in collating evidence, and in displaying vital points in the “Vanguard.” This is especially so in the issue for AugustOctober, on the Maori issue. The honour of the country is at stake. Most solemn imperial pledges guaranteed the Maori race from the incursions of the vulture trade. It should be remembered t hat the chieftains who brought the great expedition to New Zealand deliberately renounced the secret of distillation, well enough known in the Islands. They established a nation, singularly powerful and healthy, beyond all others, as Captain Cook bore witness. But "fire w’ater,” introduced bv Sydney traders and by whalers, played havoc witfi the natives. The despoiling of lands, under the whiskey lure, was a scandal that cried to Heaven. We have no desire to enlarge on the matter, here, beyond saying that the recent pact regarding the King Country makes the New Zealand Government solemnly responsible for the exclusion of liquor from the central territory. We wait, with some impatience, to hear what the commission will say and how the Government will react.

From the “Scottish Women * Temperance New*”:—

The “Monthly Bulletin” of July, 1945, has accurately summed up the difference between the liquor trade and temperance activities, by stating that the trade is “pressing its own interests whereas the temperance party is always urging a moral cause.” It is this “moral cause” which calls for the continued devotion and energy of all wlio w’ould save the nation from a return of those “had old days,” to remedy which the temperance movement came into being. We need to recapture some of the spirit and enthusiasm of those early pioneers. The country can never repay the debt it owes to them, but we, in the movement, can at least discharge part of our obligation by carrying to a successful issue tbe work they started.