TEMPERANCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 10072, 13 August 1895, Page 3

TEMPERANCE.

Sir, — I have read with n gie&fc deal of interest fche lebbe'vn published in your paper upon the question of temperance, i Temperance, as we all know, is a very : serious qaestlop, but when temperance means absolute abstinence, then I think it is a pretty strong order for the total abstainers (who are in a minorit) ) to have thn impertinence to dictate to those who drink, and especially to tbo.«) who drink nioderateiy. I grnnl) thut drink ie excess ia a curse to humanity, bub my experience tends to prove that as a rule ttiis only arises from the fact that either the drunkard Is totally v:ithotit employment (by thja I rrW.an absolutely without) interest in any Svotk of any kind, having too ranch to live upon), or in deep trouble and misery, when they try to sink their troubles in the " flowing bowl." There rip a greab m^uy allusions made in Scripture on this question, and one is advised to take a little wine, &a.—vide St. Paul. The <wly question I atk is, if it was not meant tor the good of man why was it sent ? Nearly everything on this globe was Rent) with a purpose, I grant to be ÜBed in a proper way, but wbois to blame a tiian In deep trouble who takes two much and tries to drown his trouble t Fdrtunate'y to thboe who can afford it, the use or morphinb is coming into much greater favor than drink, and the opinions of most medical men is that it la far less injurious than alcohol. In my opinion drink in excels comes solely from the fact, as I have snid before, of want of occupation amongst the so called better classes, or rather say the rich, or misery and trouble amongst the workirjg classes. It is a question fo>" great argument, I graut ; but vhab I do say is this, those who take alcohol do not attempt to interfere with total abstainers, and why should they in their fanaticism try to force their views od the aforeßald party. It Is a piece of cheer impudence. Drunkenness is finding Its own level, especially in the Old Country ; but why 1 Not from any attempts on the abstinence party's part, but from the fact that people are higher edmated, and sob that the use of alcohol in excess brings nothing bub misery. Apologising for taking up fo ranch of your valnnble Bpace. — I am,

A Stranger to These Parts, Napier, August 12, 1595.