BISHOP CROSSLEY AND THE LIQUOR PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 127, 29 May 1913, Page 7

BISHOP CROSSLEY AND THE LIQUOR PROBLEM.

(To the Editor.* ■Sir.—Occupying the distinguished position as the t-'hief official of the Anglican l.'hurch iv this part of the dominion, the Bishop's views, publicly expressed &n<l reported, naturally and deservedly command considerable attention. Aβ the result of over 40 years of persistent educai i»rml work in various directions, at the lai~t election £50,000 electors, being a majority of 54.000, voted for National i'rohrbitioD. Bishop Crossley, after a three years' rosiderur, proposes ft "more excellent, way." Shortly after his arrivnl Uie JKbbop intimated that before funning and ex-pressing l an opinion on the liquor question, he. would make himbpl£ acquainted with his diocese, and the liquor question in ihe Dominion. So it is fair to assume that his utterances arc l-he result of careful thought, after two iluKT&aii visitations covering the province* of Auckland and Taranaki. His remedies for the oft-repeated tragedies iVowing from the liquor traffic Jire: "Disinterested management" and "bars without screens, - " or, in the Bishop's words, bare "sheathed in light. - ' That he is "a voice crying in the wilderness' is an unfortunate ticriptnral quotation, as that quoted -prophet sought to "'Make straight the way of the Lord," while the Bishops proposal involves keeping the way open for the liquor traffic. If no definiu- information was available reppeeting the result of the remedies which have been tried in various parts of the world, under varying names, with one object, to keep the liquor from- .being outlawed by the people (where they had such rights), and with one result, failure to .promote sobriety, it would nave been worth wiiile to pause and seriously consider the Bishop's suggestions. But, having such information, it only requirea publicity to prove it* inadequacy us a sn-bstitutV. for prohibition. Home of the Bialiop's fellow-<:lergtymcn in the llotno I-auxi, who know the working of Ksi.rl Gray's system, have thus expreuaed themftelves: '"'From a moral point of view, a. dismal failure."—'Rev. "R. E. Thomas, -MA. Canon Bufkely, J&JI,., said: "There is-more drnnkounns* iaao in un ordinary- ■piiofie-house. It makes the raovpmont stink in the nostrQs of many! who would oOiorwiae support-tt," Detailed rcfcrrrKies conld lie given in support, of iheac. viencE, did opportunity offer. That the liquor trade needs reforming everybody knows, including the A-nelcltrnd licensees. They mode a. show of reformation in 1089; at a. io.Tgeiy-a.t-tended meeting, presided over by Mr. A. Myers, ihftjr wmraiirwkUfilj agreed' as frem Febrmtry Ist, WO9, to "AboHeh fcermaids," "abelis* private *ara," "raise the age of supply to minors to 20,"

"refuse to nerve women (except boarders ) with liquor for consumption- on the premises." How welLihey: carried these resolutions out -most people know. It was merely a show performance for special Teasons. The love of the dollar soon caused a solicitor to inform tbe Bench -that hie client would nt> longer be bound by the agreement, it being »alight upon women who had an equal position -with men before the law. This was after tbe police had reported that during four days 450 women had visited that particular hotel.

In our public schools the children are being , taught that "AJcohol is a poison in the same sense as chloroform, strychnine, and opium are poisons." We are not co foolish as to say if the tbree latter are talcen "in the sight of their fellow men" no harm will come. I«t us have consistency. Jtis as good a "principle" for the electors to vote out the liquor traffic as it is for them to vote in the BlNein schools. In each case they should have the same conditions —the simple majority. —I am, etc., K. FRENCH.