Alcoholism

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 5

Alcoholism

Sir, —M. G. Davies says it is wrong to urge that the manufacture and sale of alcohol be restrained. She thinks the church should teach men to resist temptation, not advocate its removal. Moreover she thinks alcoholism is a disease to be treated by the medical profession. Presumably, she would also say: (1) it is wrong to protect valuables; people should be taught not to steal. (2) It is wrong to insist on good sanitation; people should keep away from unhealthy places. Common sense prefers also to take precautions. She may be right when she classes the intemperate man as a glutton, but what about the purveyor of alcohol? The drink question concerns not only the freedom of people to be drunk and diseased, or sober and healthy, but also, and more especially, our permission for some to manufacture a dangerous commodity and sell it for profit.—Yours, etc., H. G. BROWN. November 27, 1957.

Sir, —A member of Parliament recently suggested that New Zealand could become a large exporter of wines. Surely it is more statesmanlike to consider all the results of using our land to grow vines for large wine-production. Growing the various food products leaves no bad results on our own nation, but judging by other large wine-producing countries they pay dearly for it. One country has 200,000 alcoholics, and is any product worth that sad mass of human wreckage? They also have trouble with children drinking wine, especially in years of bumper harvests. New Zealand will be wise to refuse to use her land for large-scale wine production.—Yours, etc. FRED T. MILES. Ashburton, November 27, 1957.

Sir, —I have travelled quite a few times backwards and forwards to England and other places and seen many young people the worse for drink. It is really very, very sad. It starts in their own homes by having a small taste from their parents* glass, which leads to a little more. Why don’t the parents think of the danger which it may lead to? “Lead us not into femptation.” Preventure is better than cure. Yet they want to build more public houses. Why cannot that money go to build more homes for the needy?— Yours, etc., HELPING HAND. November 28. 1957.