The White Ribbon. "For God, and Home, and Humanity” WELLINGTON, NOVEMBER 1, 1947. ADDRESS

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 10, 1 November 1947, Page 4

The White Ribbon. "For God, and Home, and Humanity” WELLINGTON, NOVEMBER 1, 1947. ADDRESS

GIVEN BY MRS. F. W. MOUNTJOY AT AUCKLAND DISTRICT CONVENTION Emphases these days on the attainment of health, cults of various sorts teaching how to live to be fit, physical culture, diet, better conditions for workers, sport, etc., all stress the need for healthy living. Governments as well as private people are inculcating the art of health. National Fitness Councils have trained officers, and in every school more stress is on the physical fitness than was the case a generation or two ago; yet some health-destroying habits are left severely alcne. The same Governments that frame laws to protect the health of babies, shop assistants, factory workers, miners, etc., allow vast fortunes to be made from the manufacture and sale of intoxicants. Children are encouraged at schoo’ to form health-giving habits, and at the same dtr.e advertisements appear in pub.'ic places drawing their attention to and inducing them to believe that alcoholic drinks are strengthening and nourishing, and will be good for them when they are older. This is an extraordinary state of affairs.

The subject of the effect of alcohol on the human body is one of absorbing in-

ierest, ana would appeal to children because it relates the science they learn at school, whether physiology, chemistry, biology, or hygiene, to practical daily living.

America is realising the great need for education among her young people. ‘’During the past year in South Dakota a two weeks’ credit course in narcotics education was given to teachers in training, in three colleges. All teachers in the rural schools of 23 counties were reached with from one to four demonstrations and lessons on alcohol. Demonstrations were given to 8,500 town school children and their teachers. Two colleges have already asked for the course in 1947. The teachers in at least ten additional counties are being reached this month.” The care we give our children is the measure of our civilization. The standards we set before our children largely decide their future. We would have security for them, but security through knowledge. Those of our members who have been through the L.T.L. and the “Y’s” will remember the experiments of the action of alcohol on bread, brains, growing plants, etc. They have been fortified by knowledge and truth. If we could only get this subject of the evil effects of beverage alcohol on to the school curriculum it would go a long way to defeating the liquor traffic. Some of our organisers have managed, through the courtesy of headmasters, to gain entry into some of the schools, and the children show keen interest. However, unless the lessons are given regularly, they are often forgotten.

The cinema plays an important part in the life of the community today. Experiments show that a very large proportion of our children attend picture shows, many at least once a week. It is reasonable to assume that the same applies to adolescents, whose plastic minds are so receptive to the false values of thj cinema which aims at entertainment alone, but the ultimate result of which is mass impression and incidental education. Drinking in the home is made to appear attractive and regarded as a normal social hi.bit. But perhaps that which has been degraded most is the sanctity of marriage. Nearly always drinking is at the back of this latter degradation. One learns most quickly through the eyes and familiarity with these things creates a desire to be a “big man” or a “glamorous woman.” The adolescent mind is a very receptive mind. So many of the crimes dealt with in our law courts are attributed to what was first learned

at the pictures. Films “Recommended by Censor for Adults” and those “Approved for Universal Exhibiton” are still very often shown on the same programme. If children were prohibited from attending unless the whole programme were advertised as “Suitable for Universal Exhibition,” and if, because all patrons do not read the advertisements, theatres were compelled to hang a sign or show’ a particular coloured light over their entrance proclaiming this, much harm to those of tender years might be avoided. The children’s programme shown on a Saturday morning is a step forward, but a great deal more needs to be done.

The broadcasting of “mystery thrillers” over the radio is another thing that lias a decided bearing on the health oi children. 1 have had rings over the ’phone repeatedly asking if something could not be done to stop this sort of thing. Children want to wait up to listen in, w ith the result that their nerves are affected and they cannot get the refreshing sleep that is so necessary for a growing child. The reply received to protests, is that “a parent can tune in to a different station.” That does not solve the problem in a great many homes. Mr. Algie drew the attention of the House of Representatives to the fact that the National Broadcasting Corporation of the United States and 160 of its affiliates, had agreed that as from January next they would not broadcast any series of detective, crime or mystery programmes before 9.30 p.m. Mr. Algie gave notice that he would ask the Minister of Broadcasting—Mr. Jones—what his views w r ere with regard to the adoption of a similar course by the National Broadcasting Service in this Dominion. I am sure we wish him success in h : s efforts on behalf of tlie children.

From a lecture delivered by Dr. Fairlie, M.D., Ch.B., 0.P.H., at' the Royal Society of Arts, London, on April 10. 1946—Dr. Fairlie was Divisional Surgeon, Metropolitan Police (1913-1936), I have culled the following: “In 12 years, nearly 80,000 persons were killed on the roads of England, and nearly 2,500,000 injured. In the 26 years up to the end of 1945 no less than 33.000 children under the age of 15 were killed and nearly 1,000,000 injured

Such figures bring to light a state of affairs which has been truly described as “monstrous, wrong and appalling.” It is not consistent with our present-day civilisation, to vhich so many of us

would point as something better than that of bygone days. It is not in accordance with our ideas of humanity.

Further, on a lower plane, it leads to serious economic results. In these days when increased production is so necesjjry to save the nation and to maintain its life’s blood, the loss of the productive capacity of the killed and maimed cannot be afforded. When death results, the loss is total, and in the case of children the whole life is lost to the State. The loss of 3d,000 children is serious to a nation with at low birth rate, and with the prospect of difficulty in the future in maintaining « X)pulace with too high a percentage in the non-productive declining years it is doubly serious. In New Zealand 25 people were killed in motoring accidents in April this year, the highest number reported in any one month since March of 1940. Seven were killed on the roads during the Easter week-end and a further seven during Anzac week-end. The causes of road accidents are many and varied but a great many could have been avoided and a great many lives could have been saved if there was less drinking of alcoholic drinks by motor drivers. We read slogans, “If you drive don't drink” and “If you drink don’t drive" Even the Government Health Department advertises this advice in prominent places, but the same Government licenses the manufacture and sale of the poison that robs the same drivers of their power of making quick decisions. For quick decisions, almost to the split second, are often required to save life among the traffic on our streets today. Yet we see parked outside surburban hotels in the late afternoon and on Saturday afternoons, lines of trucks and motor cars, almost as though a football match in the vicinity. There is no need to ask where the drivers have gone. Would not their time ar.d their money be better spent on their own homes and gar tens? Ic is well known that anyone taking part in competitive athletics “for the sake of the game" must abstain from all alcoholic drink for a period before play. Leaders of importance like FjeldMarshal Lord Montgomery, who is a total abstainer, and our past GovernorGeneral, Sir Cyril Newall, have stated that to have a clear head one must leave alcohol entirely alone. In the Auckland Star of September 19, appeared the following:—“New York, September 17. The district attorney alleged today that a drurken pilot was at the controls of the American Airlines plane when it plunged into Bowery Bay, off La Guardia Airfield on August 8, killing three persons. The attorney said an autepsy had shown that the pilot’s brain contained ‘three plus of alcohol,’ which was a large amount. He said that the examiner’s report showed that the pilot was drunk at the time of the takeoff"

And then we have a woman come to oui chores and state, after five weeks’ stay, that what is needed for the entertainment of ratings from visiting warsb’PS is “somewhere they can sit down

in the evenings and drink like gentlemen." "If you could bring your licensing hours into line with those in England it would do more for temperance than any of the pussy- footers or blue ribbon organisations," she continued. Sir Wiiiiam R. Williams, J.P., C.C., is an alderman and a former Lord Mayor of Cardiff, who for his work for the coalfields district distress fund, in which more than £1,000,000 was distributed in South Wales, was knighted in 1$)30. said, when discussing the licensing system in New Zealand, and expressing his pleasure at the fact that New Zealand has six o’clock closing, that if it were introduced into England half the public houses would be closed within a year. More than half the licensed houses in England were merely drinking places and catered for nothing else. He also stated that “the British system of having evening drinking made the streets bad places at night.’’ Sir William said he had been in New South Wales when the referendum on licensing hours had been taken, and he had been delighted with the result. He doubted, however, if one in every 10,000 people in England was fully appreciative of the fact that 6 o’clock closing of hotels operated in Australia and New Zealand. “New Zealand streets," he added, “were safe and quiet at night, as a result of the operation of the 6 o’clock closing rule. This was a marked contrast to the condition of the streets in English cities at night.’’ The suggestion in the sub-leader of tiie Star of 19th instant “that an everready committee representing the various individual organisations, and capable of enlisting their co-operation and coordinating their efforts when there is a big job to be done’ is a good one, but it is not often that the various clubs and organisations cannot cope with the demands put upon them. “The Captain of the ljner Quern Elizabeth is a teetotaller,” says Don lddon in the Sunday Mail. “I gave up even the mildest drink after taking over the Queen /.lizabeth; there is so much entertaining to be done in New' York, Southampton and on board. We would all be better without it,” he said. We congratulate New South Wales on their victory for 6 o’clock closing, w'hich was carried in spite of the extensive campaign of the opposing side, which spent vast sums on newspaper advertisements and radio propaganda. Also we congratulate their Premier who, when approached to have the laws altered to allow liquor to be sold in night clubs, etc., stated that the "voice of the people had spoken.” The police have been making raids upon clubs which have been licensed to sell liquor, but by law must conform to the 6 o’clock closing. I have read the two Bills that have been before the House in connection with the Masterton Licensing Trust. It is noticeable that they have not come up for further discussion. I cannot see much difference between Trust Control and State Control. In clause six of tlv: Bill it states “If at any time moneys are advanced to the Trust out of the Consolidated Fund pursuant to this Act, or any guarantee of any overdraft of the

Trust is given by the Minister o{ Finance, the Minister of Justice may, at any time, while any moneys so advanced remain owing by the Trust, or as the case may be, while the guarantee continues, appoint one person (hereinafter referred to as the Government Member) to be a member of the Trust.” Where else is the money to come from but from the Consolidated Fund, to finance the Trust? Subject to the provisions of the above (Section 6 of this Act) the Trust shall consist of four elected members who shall be elected by the electors of the Trust district. In Section 30 it states, “The Trust may acquire and hold shares or stock in the capital of any company registered under the Companies’ Act 1933, that is carrying on the business of a brewer either within or without the Trust District.”

In Section 29: “The Trust may, in accordance with Part 111 of the Finance Act, 1915, apply for a brewer’s license, within the meaning of that Act, and may if the license is granted, establish and maintain a brewery either within or without the Trust district.”

There is also provision for the sale of liquor in dining rooms and restaurants. The people of Masterton have voted for the Trust Control, but I feel sure if a further referendum is taken as to whether theie should be liquor sold in restaurants that the Fquor would be voted out. However, protests from all over New Zealand have gone to Parliament and the Prime Minister on this subject. Let us pray that they will bear fruit.

There is one matter that has come to my notice lately concerning weddings. Some ministers are taking a stand that if there is to be drink there they will not officiate at the wedding breakfast. Because the bridegroom stated, when asked, that there was £lO worth of champagne ordered, a minister in the Whangarei district recently refused to attend the breakfast, though he would marrv the couple. Ihe next day the young man came back to say there would be no wine at the breakfast, as they wanted the minister there. If we could only get more ministers to take that stand! If we could encourage our young people from the time they were very tiny to take an interest in making things —in hobbies—l think it would solve a lot of this drinking problem It is because time hangs heavily on their hands —when they have nothing to do ©r talk about—that they get into the habit of saying, “Come and have a spot.” I believe in organised sport, but not so much organised that it leaves no time for young people to use their own initiative during their leisure time. Perhaps the 40-hcur week came too soon for some, before they had learned how to make use of so much free time. The schools are encouraging hobbies very considerably at the present time, and music seems to bt finding a much greater place in the lives cf the people Its refining influence is sure to raise the moral out-