ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3113, 18 June 1917, Page 6

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

Sir,—lt is the question underlying that! of national economy with a view to pro* Juotjng national efficiency that is of the utmost importance at the present tinie< lhat question is: Will the suggested earlier closing of hotel tars make fon industrial efficiency, military efficiency, or moral efficiency? Aβ to industrial efficiency, this country has never reached; a higher pitch. As to military efficiency. no higher tribute could be paid to aii-rf solaicr iti the world than has been nail by the British Cominanfler-in-Chief to! the sons of New Zealanders who hare been brought up, trained and sent away! under the present existing licensing con-< ?u t , i- 11 10 - 1 he Eaicl - therefore,that earlier closing would add to the industrial or military efficiency of fhia country. The moral aspect of the micsT tion is one on which the prohibition, preacher and the military authority are at-variance. . The prohibition preachers eays we must have earlier closing to stonl soldiers from K ettin«r a glass of beer and fra emisiug m hotels after 6 o'clock Ths n.ilitary authority says that if you close the hotels earlier against the soldier and you prevent him from fraternisin-'with: his comrades and his civilian friends in tne hotels after G o'clock, then you must provide a wet canteen in the camps; otherwise he says, he will not be r* snonsible for the proper conduct of the soldiers. When tiiere is too much fca» on the part of the military authority, and too much prejudice on the part of the prohibition preacher, simple-minded people may be unable to determine. But) here comes Mr. C. B. Moi-ison, K C * confessed moderate drinker, who has some reluctance in supporting an earlier closing resolution, and he fays that as tar as the morals of the soldier are concerned, unless the dens of iniquity are also to be closed at 6 o'clock, then this earlier closing agitation for hotels will be-i than li the hotels were kept open all night, l'or my own part 1 have eoine to tue conclusion that we ought not to take risks which Mr. C. B. Morison warns us ot m order to have tlio satisfaction ofl compelling one section of our neighbours} (tho hotelkeepers) to make a. special sacrifice without in some way coninensatinir them, but which, if made, would be of very doubtful advantage. Besides, this la not going to be brought about without a; strenuous fight between one class of thoi community and another, and to rend the community asunder at a tiuie like this is not wi.=e. Sfr. Lloyd George say?: "For" Heaven's sake, don'l let us figlit anions!' ourselves!"—! am, etc., ; , A CHEISTTAN. "