SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 7

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING.

Sir, —Do the "Moderates" consider themselves Britisher's and gentlemen in face of our dear King's gallant example Co -his people? Can they dare, in face of , this time of "desperate sorrow" parade their platform, which is simply one of appetite? Or are they of those a poet sings: v 'Ale, man, ale's the thing to drink'. For'fellows when it hurts to think." It would pay New Zealand by "Act of Council" to catch all publicans, and their allies the Moderates, and compensate them to their hearts' content, to end the trade in liquor. Mr. Lloyd George has said that the drink traffic is a greater evil than the Germans. Sir, ask them to take a walk down our streets,—and think for once,—and look on their handicraft in the light of Eternity, to which many of our khakiclad heroes arc hurrying, and inquire what hotel and which publican has shot them out to stagger along in the King's uniform? A nation stands or falls by its commercial and domestic morality,' and both are attacked by liquor. • If the women of New Zealand downed tools, refusing to carry on the tasks they aro_ performing and to continue the sacrifices they are making until hotels were shut at least during war at 6 p.m., things would take a different complexion. Women could tdo this if they realised their power, and held together in God's hofy name. Sir, I have road over the names of the Moderate League's committee, and would say to them— "Look at }-our work, as you'll look at it ■ then, Scanned by Jehovah, angels, and men." —1 am, eto., BRITISH MATRON. , Sir,—l notice your report of a deputation to Mr. Massey. Really, one would think our soldiers were some inferior kind of. creatures, judging by tho patronising tone of these 2<eop!e, instead of the best men in New Zealand, volunteering their lives to protect theso very people, along with the women and helpless ones. Do they want to foster discontent such as caused the revolt in Sydney? and thus level themselves with the pro-German j for, remember, it takes a man of character, not a milksop, to be a volunteer soldier. These agitators make our soldiers a stepping-stono for their controversy—l know their kind. I was in a carriage of tho Main Trunk train which was full of these people returning from somo conference. In tho cold, early morning wo met, and stopped alongside a train conveying wounded soldiers. Not one of theso poople left his comfortable cushions to speak' a word to the poor, tired fellows in their comfortless second-class quarters. They were too much interested in tho discussion of their coming breakfast, and making personal remarks about each other. In "The Book" drunkenness and gluttony are mentioned together. I know our noble men will not allow the talk of these people to disturb them, but ignore it, as becomes soldiers, and for the sake of wo who lore thorn.—l am, etc., A SOLDIER'S MOTHER, '