LIQUOR IN FACTORIES

Evening Star, Issue 20019, 9 November 1928, Page 3

LIQUOR IN FACTORIES

A CANADIAN EMPLOYER CONDEMKS PROHIRITION Writing.to tlie'New Zealand Licensing Reform-Association in. May of .this year, .'Mr F. Barry Hayes; president of, the 1 Toronto, Carpet .Manufacturing Company, which employs some two theupand hands, indicates'somo of the reasons why - Prohibition has been abandoned in Canada, after, an extensive period of trial, and State Control installed in its place. Mr Hayes writes as ono who. has, by experience, been ! converted from an advocate of “ extreme Prohibition, ’’ to a supporter of Government control. His letter is as follows: — * '

The Toronto Carpet Mfg. Co., Ltd., Toronto, Canada, May 23, 1928. Mr R. A. Armstrong, Dominion Secretary, _ Xhe ;Vcw Zealand Licensing Reform Association, . Wellington, : N.Z.

Dear Sir,—,’..,;’. ■ I ihava 'your fafoiir of the 24tli ult., in 'reference to Prohibition in Canada. ’ / 1 v

. As far as T -can judge, -doing' away with Prohibition and. adopting Govern-ment-control has been all to the good. When Prohibition came in first; as a [urge employer of labour'(having about 2,000 employees in ohr diffei'ent 1 factories),; we were ardent advocates of' it, and r X must sky that during the’.war our Employees ' lived' tip to -i ts 1 require • inepts; but, after the war, they seemed to • consider that their liberties were being interfered, with, and resented that', '.with 'the 'result' that ins bead _ of drinking beer theyJtook: to' bringing flasks into the" factories. and workrooms; with bad results. Since Government control has been in force, this lias all'been done away with, and wo think ' very, iiiucli less drinking is being done; because tho people can diily' buy ; from, disiiensaries, po ■ that tho excesses that took ■ pinco under Prohibition are more or less eliminated.

With our yiping people in social sets, girl and boy both invariably' carried flasks with them to dances, which had a very detrimental; effect oh them. This has been done’away, with almost altogether under the control, i.e., a host ; can now provide some kind of cuj>—claret or wine, or, even punch—and. as the young people are not restricted. aiid kiiow. that ’they can got more if they ,'tequire it, they dp not go to excesses in’any way. Ip regard to the general health , of the , cpmmuniiy: ’ under Prohibition a lot of bootlegging-,liquor was sold, and many deaths and impaired health was tho result, as a' great' deal of liquor was synthetic gin apcl Tllcgally.-iiianu-factured goods,- ’.'' I do not' think th?t. the generally would ever return to, Priohibitipii' -again,’and' l may say I’.am a convert from ©xttepi6 ; Propibitipn to Government ’, control'; fact that wo. have no.: sales ;of ’ liquor ! in the bar as .jfc used Id be ia' quite a factor. . All treating, which was a rbane to life in the .. old day?, is dope, away ; with. ,

Yours very truly, ■ (Sgd.)’F. Barry .Hayes (President).

The. foregoing la but one 1 of ■ hundreds of , similar,:; commuijibatibDs . .received from.leaders of thought in-ajl walks of lifc ln jQanada- ‘They are unanimous ( hi condemning Prohibition, (after ,an actual; experience,' of I'lpat system •extending' oyer many ' years), , pnd in praising 1 State Control. ' The example of duy sister British, ■.dpmiiupn should bo; given duo cpn.?iderati6u ; by ’the peep©.;’of Kew Zealand/who will,' at the approaching: ppl),- have the opportunity -of declaring for true temperance by voting ’for State ■, Purchase, and Control.' •

..(Published; by,; Arraiigeraent;)