The White Ribbon. "For God, and Home, and Humanity" WELLINGTON, DECEMBER 1, 1948. District Convention Address, 1948

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 11, 1 December 1948, Page 4

The White Ribbon. "For God, and Home, and Humanity" WELLINGTON, DECEMBER 1, 1948. District Convention Address, 1948

By the District President,

teacher, a sportsman, a statesman. I remember a girl in the sixth standard culled all she could of the life of President McKinley. She afterwards became a Doctor of Medicine. It is good to bring to children’s notice people with high ideals as Don Bradman the cricketer, Lovelock the runner, Lord Montgomery, perhaps the greatest soldier that the British Empire has ever had, or a recent Governor of New Zealand, Sir Cyril New-all. These men have reached their present fame and neither drink intoxicating liquor nor smoke. There are many others just as famous in other directions, who ha\e taken the same stand. Most young people desire to be physically fit, and these people could never have reached their goal without physical fitness. They advise one and all that to be 100 per cent, fit one must leave intoxicating liquor strictly alone. In August 1948’s “Consumer News,” appears an article entitled “Drinking and Driving,” issued by the Department of Health, in which it states, “Alcohol is a drug which, no matter how we may try to talk ourselves out of it, affects our brains. This is just cold, scientific fact. What alcohol does is to influence those parts of the brain, the so-called higher centres, that give us judgment, concentration, selfcriticism and skill. The same part of the brain gives us anxiety, frustration and w'orry. Alcohol cuts down the activity of this part of the brain. The effect of even small quantities of alcohol is to diminish skill and selfcriticism and to prolong reaction time, the time between spotting a danger and acting accordingly. In fact, it produces just those conditions *hat make a skilful driver of a motor vehicle less skilful. We should not have to learn through experience that when driving, a little alcohol can be a dangerous thing.” In spite of advice like this from one of its own departments, our Government licenses the sale and manufacture this poisonous drug.

MRS. F W. MOUNTJOY Vo see clearly children must first learn to think for themselves. Unless they start learning to do so in the home, they will never learn. Through quest and que c tion they find out things for themselves tiiat they wdl remember all their lives and form a habit they will never forget. We should encourage the habit by not trying to force our own ideas and ways of doings things on our own children and those others wc come in contact with, as the only correct method. By learning to reason the why and the wherefore they arc developing their characters, and when temptation comes their wav, if guided along the right path, th»y automatically know right from wrong. We mothers have a great responsibility in developing the little lives entrusted to us, our children or our grandchildren. Through them we reach a larger circle and we must see that there will be no stumbling block left in their way that they cannot surmount. Children, at some stage of their lives, make heroes or heroines of people they meet or read about; their

New Zealand’s drink bill for 1047 was £16,208,343. An appalling figure for such a young country. In 1941 the expenditure in New Zealand on intoxicating: liquors was £6/6/- per head. In 1947 it had increased to £9/1/11 per head.

The late Lord Stamp, who was i leading world economist, said. “The National Drink Bill represents a bad bargain for the community.” “When intoxicants have been Tnade, sold and consumed, there is nothing to show

for the expenditure except a certain Ciup of trouble, poverty, crime and disease. It is more than sheer waste. It would have been better for eveiyone concerned if all the money had been expended on digging holes and filling them up again,” said Thos. P. Whittaker, British M.P. While this waste in the use of barley and sugar is going on the people are being arked to ration themselves to help the hungry people of Britain and Europe. The Government promised that barley for brewers would be curtailed, but they were actually allowed to use 176,889 bushels more grain in 1946 and 1947 than in 1945. New Zealand produced 2,505,000 more gallons of beer in 1947 and 3,000,00<K more gallons of beer in 1946 than in 1945, yet the people are being asked to eat less meat, less butter and less bread. It would appear as though the planned production in New’ Zealand considers brewers and beer should have priority. We read that the quantity of beer and stout produced in Australia durthe 12 months ending June 30, 1947, was the highest on record. Figures compiled by the Government Statistician show that production during that period reached 128,267,000 gallons. In the “Auckland Star,” August 10, 1948, in the “London News,” we read that "just under 4,250.000 gallons of Scotch whisky were exported during the first six months of this year, creating records for whisky as a dollar earner. Of the total quantity exported, the United States took* 2,206,000 gallons, and Canada 332,000 gallons. If whisky exports are maintained at the same level during the second half ot this year they will earn £ls millions sterling worth of dollars and reduce home stocks by more than 63,300,000 bottles.” What is going to be the result of all this production and sale of this soul-destroying liquor? We are seeing it in our your~ country in the divorce courts, broken homes, road accidents, tic. T’k same applies to Australia. These countries are beerdrinking countries, but America, which is a spirit-drinking country, shows in her appallingly increasing number of alcoholics the havoc that is being wrought there. The head of the Psychiatric Institute in Chicago courts states that whereas 15 years ago one out of every five alcoholics was a woman, now it is one out of every three. One out of every 17 males in U.S.A. is an

alcoholic or a chronically excessive drinker. We know that the U.S.A. Government is very much exercised by this increasing number of alcoholics and has made large grants to assist in treating and endeavouring to cure these people. Would it not be better to prohibit the importation and manufacture of this enemy? Bulgaria has a’.vskcned to this harm to her people for, according to the “Bulgarian National Herald,” April Id, 1947, the Bulgarian Government, hv decree, closed 16,000 night clubs and saloons in that country. This action was taken because of the heavy increase of debauchery drunkenness which had developed in Bulgaria. A new temperance measure recently passed in Bulgaria includes two significant temperance provisions: 1, Local Option; and 2, All licensed houses must serve fruit juices. In one of the saddest commentaries yet heard on parental delinquency, the Child Welfare Division of the City of Boston reported recently that hundreds of babies and children have been committed to city care—and support because *xce*»ive drinking has made their parents unfit to bring them up. Mrs. Anna M. Mackay, Deputy Commissicnc. of Child Welfare, estimated that 85 per cent, of 1,500 youngsters the Division now supports in foster homes, have had to be separated from their natural parents because of unbearable family conditions which grew out of too much liquor. Mrs. Mackay said that drunkenness is the underlying factor in the majority of all types of cases which result in commitment of children to the Division. Drink, agreed Miss Marv J. Reidy, investigator with the Department for 17 years, has been the major factor in the majority of the family break-ups. The following appeared in the “Auckland Star,” July 15, 194 h, “US. Olvmpic Athletes Must Behave or Else—New' York —Wednesday. The United States Olympic authorities, mindful of the furore caused in 1936 when the American swimmer Eleanor Home was dismissed from the team for drinking champagne, todav issued a stern warning that any athlete who breaks training by drinking alcohol will be dismissed. Violation shall be the grounds for immediate dismissal from the team.” Back in our own little New Zealand we read of experimental activities in grape production. The exceptional grape crops have been used commerciallv to manufacture wine of a particularly intoxicating nature. If the Government could only be induced to see the advisability of it these exceptional crops could be used with profit to the people of New r Zealand to more advantage as non-intoxicating beverages, and assist the sick to regain their health, or as a basis for many refreshing fruit drinks. Unfermented fruit drink bare could become just as popular as milk* bars, for young people only want pleasant drinks and to drink in company.

Just a word about Legislation! The Royal Commission sat in January, 1945. They reported on August 27, 1946, two years ago, and there was a very half-hearted discussion in the House in September, 1947, almost a year ago and only talk since. Because of the fact that it is a matter on which both sides of the House are UIIIUVU, II IS L»V.llig Mivt' Ww. The Alliance, from their annual meeting, telegraphed the Prime Minister, asking for an assurance that the bill would be brought dowm this session. The reply was, “Your telegram received. Question of legislation is one for Government to decide. When that decision is arrived at I will be pleased to inform you in time for your organisation to make any representation which it considers necessary.” I presume the other side will receive the same privilege. In the Royal Commission’s recommendations w’ere :—l. An alteration to the ballot paper. They suggest the following— I vote for Continuance. I vote for Prohibition. In the event of the first being carried— I vote for corporate control. I vote against corporate control. The brewers want this last to relate to hotels only. Temperance bodies, while not agreeing that anything but prohibition would be in the best interests of the people consider that corporate or trust control of hotels would he useless, and (onsider it should include the importation, manufacture and retailing of all intoxicating liquor. Then there is the question of extended hours of sale. We do not want evening hoj*s of -sale and mu*t be firm in our stand for 6 o’clock closing. A good many of us remember the 10 o’clock closing with its waste of time and money and danger to young people out at night. We must stand out against restaurant drinking. We must oppose any extension of the period between the polls. Nir.e years was recommended, but the very fact that the poll is held every three years means that the young people are at least having brought before them the harmful effect of string drink, and if they have been taught io “think clearly” in the home, some at least may be saved. Lastly we want to see the powers of the Licensing Committees increased. Wc have had the promise of the Prime Minister that a referendum of the people will he taken on these matters before any should be put into effect, and we must see that the is honoured. ? “The hosts of darkness gather To drive us back to night, But all unseen the Hosts of God Are with us in the fight. Oh sisters! do not falter March on and have no fear : Oh lift vour eyes to yonder skies. The Morning Land is near.”