BOOTH AT MOTOR SPORTS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 107, 19 April 1933, Page 3

BOOTH AT MOTOR SPORTS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —It was with considerable surprise that 1 read of the action of the Napier Licensing Committee in granting a license to tho Motor Racing Club for their gathering on Easter Monday. I feel that this action constitutes a challenge to all those interested in temperance in Napier and I sincerely trust that they will accept it. In the report there is no indication of any opposition to the granting of the application. Can this be possible? The Licensing Committee is supposed to represent and to act according to, the best interests of tho community, not of the trade. Is it in the best interests of tho community that motor cycling should be thus closely associated with strong drink, which it is well known adversely affects quick and clear judgment? When we are living in hard and difficult times it has beeu necessary to launch frequent appeals to provide many of our worthy citizens with the ordinary comforts of life. In New Zealand nearly six million pounds is spent annually on intoxicants. How does this compare with relief funds? In Napier there are fifteen licenses granted for the sale of strong drink. This number causes much concern to those xvho recognise that over-indul-gence in this is one of the greatest factors working against the health, peace and comfort of the community. This concern is accentuated when this additional menace is set before lovers of true sport. Such action as this will, if continued and extended to other gatherings, alienate sympathy and tend to increase distress. I trust that public resentment will mark and follow this retrograde action of the Licensing Committee and ensure that this will be tho last time that the great danger of a publican’s booth will appear at a Napier sports gathering.—l am, etc., HERBERT GOULD. Vice-president, Hawke’s Bay Temperance Council.