BOYS AND BEER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 60, 12 March 1923, Page 5

BOYS AND BEER.

LADY ASTOR'S BILL. j DEBATE IN THE COMMONS, j LONDON, March !». I.adv Astor'« bill forbidding the sale f alcoholic liquors to persons under 18 ears of age prompted an animated deate in the House of Commons. It was he first bill introduced in Parliament i\- a woman. ' I.adv Astor said 00 per cent of inebrites contracted the habit between the gps of IS and 2S. "Boys of 18 are chil,ren. Why," she exclaimed with a sweep if one arm. 'you are all children. That s why we women like you. Many an Cnglish mother is praying for the success if this bill." Lady Astor said in one •ear 400.'! boys and girls from 10 to 21 -ears of age were arrested for drunkenThe measure will not touch clubs, nor ireveiit. children bringing dinner beer. Mr. Crook I Conservative member for ".ast Ham), seconding, said he disliked ■xtremists on both sides. He preferred he jovoiis optimism of Omar Khayyam. Mr. W. Greaves-lxird House --ative nember for Norwood), oppoirtng t » bill, ;aid it would lead to drinking of a worse •haracter than in public houses. Major Hamilton declared that: grandmotherly legislation would delay the chances of in improved public house, and create a lesire in children to drink because it was prohibited. A boy would think it great to have a flask in his hip pocket. He would licvnme popular with the girls. Lady Astor had said every boy and girl had a hit of the devil in them. I.adv Astor: "Nothing of the kind." Major Hamilton: "Yon said you had sufficient devil in you to make you want something that wa« prohibited. Girls and hoys are alike." Admiral Gaunt declared the bill was rotten, though its object was magnificent. Had Eve not lieen originally subjected to prohibition all would have lieen happier. He did not want "a beastly prohibition" which would tear the bottom out of the temperance movement. Sir I-'. Banbury said they could hardly sep drunkenness in tlie upper classes. Mr. Sexton I f.nlmur member for St. Helens): "Yon don't see it." Crthnr Labour members: -They go home in cabs." Mr. Scrvmgpnur (Independent member for Dundee. who i« a noted prohibitionist, was continually protesting lieeause of failure to catch the Speaker's eye. The Hon. \V. C. Hridgeman said it would be difficult to carry out the measure. No one would be able to decide from appearance whether a person was over IS. He did not share Ivady Astor's view that beer was bad for persons under IS years of ago. In order to prevent the bill being talked out Lady Astor moved the closure, and the bill was read a second timr ly .'l3B votes to 38.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.i