“WET” CANTEENS

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 November 1939, Page 5

“WET” CANTEENS

PRESBYTERIAN DISCUSSION.

[per press association.]

CHRISTCHURCH, November 20.

The Government’s decision to allow I “wet” canteens at military camps was I considered by the Presbyterian GenI eral Assembly, to-day, when a resolution on the question framed by the Assembly’s Tempera(nce Committee, was referred to another committee for consideration. The convener of the Temperance Committee, Rev. C. J. Tocker, said that the findings of different bodies often seemed to represent propaganda of the liquor trade, rather than the free expression of public opinion. He referred particularly to the attitude of the Returned Soldiers Association. Mr Tocker said he was not prepared to ask the Assembly to protest at what had been done, but it was in his mind to congratulate the Government on the step it had taken. He urged the Government to take similar action concerning hotels near camps, and said that, if boys went to Alexandria or Cairo, better care would have to be taken than was the case in the last war.

The motion he sponsored expressed opposition, on principle, to the establishment of “wet”’ canteens, but recognised that the Government had done well ih excluding spirituous liquors, and in reducing the alcoholic conteht of ale.

Rev. H. J. Ryburn described the comments on the R.S.A. as an undeserved slur, and, on Mr Ryburn’s motion, the resolution was referred to a committee, for a report.