SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3134, 12 July 1917, Page 6

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Sir,—As a returned soldier, and one who has received every consideration and kind treatment from Lieut-Colonel W. Kingston Fyffe, I take objections to the remarks of your correspondent, Mr. Thos. M. Milligan. Surely Lieut.-Colo'nel Fyffe, who has seen and knows what active service means, should be a better judge of what is good for the soldier and what is not than y»ur correspondent. It is not a bit of use in bandying words, the whole business is aimed at the soldie'' and no one else. Those who witnessed that apology for. a procession a few weeks back could not fail to notice the tableau depicting the drunken soldier. This in itself was an insult to the boys who have fought and are still going by the hundreds to protect and uphold the fair name and honour of this little country of ours. I might add not the kind of honour indulged in by the "wowser" element, namely, crying down and haranguing everyone else but themselves. Personally it :natters very little to me whether six o'clock closing is carried or not, but I do think that if we are to have it, we could get it by fair means, and not by holding forth the excuse that the sr.Mier needs to be protected.

Apart from this, a man, whether he be a soldier or not, if he be a heavy drinker, will have his drink, and all tho six o'clock deputations in the world will not stop him. Moreover, to ray way of thinking, the pulpit is no place for any minister, be he Baptist or otherwise, to allow himself to be carried away by such absurd motives.

T am sure that all returned solders will join with me in saying that Lieut.-Colonel Fyffe had the courage of his convictions and the benefit of his experience when h.o upheld at the Synod that a soldier should not be denied a little relaxation.

It appears to be the aim of a certain class to deprive those who have fought; and are going to fight for our liberty of enjoyment other than attending cliurches and"prayer meetings, botli commendable in. their place.

Thanking you, and hoping that I am not taking up too much of jour valuable space in voicing the feelings of thn majority of soldiers, both returned ani? about to go.—l am, etc., JUSTIANA.