“Dry” Saturday Afternoons

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 219, 12 June 1933, Page 11

“Dry” Saturday Afternoons

Sir,—ln consideration of the present condition of trade in the hotel business the licensees of hotels in the . Taranaki district have adopted a resolution asking for a return of their legitimate number of hours. The reduction was purely a war measure that was to extend at most for two years after the cessation of war. During the ensuing years of normal trade the hotelkeepers waived their right; but under present conditions, when they are unable to pay their way, they ask for this right to be restored, and are met b.v the astounding proposition from the New Zealand Alliance that their liberties should be still further curtailed.

The New Zealand Alliance would rob them of even that chance to carry on—to still further reduce drunkenness, they say. There was more drunkenness in a certain town in the South Island when it became dry than when it was wet. “Put the liquor trade on the same basis as other traders.” Do other traders pay a £5O a year license? Does any other trader pay into the revenue a tithe of what tbe liquor traders do? Why pick on liquor as an evil to be destroyed? There is more theft in New Zealand to-day than drunkenness, and theft is the greater crime, according to the sentences imposed. Why not then destroy property and prevent this evil? An article I read in your columns recently from Mr. Blanchard gives the answer to these queries. Train the subject to avoid liquor and the trade will die a natural death.—l am. etc.. JUSTITIA FIAT. Morison’s Bush, June 7.