MODERATE LEAGUE AND EARLY GLOSING.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2757, 28 April 1916, Page 6

MODERATE LEAGUE AND EARLY GLOSING.

Sir,—lt is interesting to review wha( the Moderate League calls "the evi« dence accumulated," which "does noii indicate any need for alterations." Ii is chiefly as follows:—(1) The replv t< the league's recent questions to 'Mr, Allen:—These questions mostly referred to irrelevant matters which had novej oeen brought up_ for discussion by anj organisation as far as I have seen fron, the public Press. (2) "The subsequent! ly published figures from the authorities.".* These figures were re* fered to recently in an editorial of on* paper as "the highly dubious statistical comparison upon which Mr. Allen based his conclusions" at that time. (8) Th( "recent statements of the Prime Mini6i ter and Minister of Defence":—Th< Moderate League must have overlooked Mr. Ma-ssey's remark in replying to tb.} Methodist deputation recently. It was —"The police report snows that some: hotelkeepers do not protect the soldiers." I am not a friend of the liquor party, but it seems _to me. that the only plac< where a soldier would be safe in goini for his glass of beer is the wet oanteea in camp, where, at any rate, there woulo; be no'one interested in encouraging hint to'spend all the money he happens tq carry in his pocket.

In regard to early-closing, if "thq evidence accumulated, dues not indicatt any need for alteration" in tie ppinioij of the Moderate League Executive, ii must be because they shut away from the sights and sounds 'which; show to outsiders the serious need fon restrictive measures. In any case, why does the executive speak for the whol( of the Moderate League when no gen/ eral meeting has been held. The "proW able benefit of such measures might V taken as certain; but the'"practicabit ity of effective administration" certain* ly would be another matter, considering the' power of the licensed and their friends. But if there be anj( patriotic citizens among them who hav< any regard for the well-being of thd community and the efficiency of ouf troops, they will put forward their best efforts to secure the/early closing dj hotel bars' during 1 the period of 'the .wan' for this is one of the things tbe "stayi; at-homes" can do to help in the winning of the war.—l am, etc., LOOKER-ON.

April 25.