THE HYGIENE BILL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10112, 20 October 1917, Page 5

THE HYGIENE BILL.

TO TIIE EDITOB. Sir, —As one of tliose present at Lpdy Stout’s meeting I was struck with the inconsistency of some of her remarks. In her hygiene lecture she makes the following'statments: Legislation was not the cure for social evil, hut rather the standard of the people should be raised.” “Parliament was not right in bringing down legislation on the plea that it would help the soldiers.” Now surely common sense people will agree with Lady Stout that legislation is not the cure for any social evil, but observe the inconsistency of her argument when it applies to the liquor question a much lesser evil. Where does the Prohibition party plea for legislation for the benefit of our soldiers come in? Are they not most inconsistently basing their plea for prohibition on the grounds of our soldiers’ welfare, also that legislation is the only means of saving the people? Certainly. as Lady Stout remarks, the only real cure for all excesses is the training of the individual to so control himself or herself that they can partake of the tilings on earth which are given ns for use. not abuse. What kind ol weak Hampered creatures are wo going to be if all temptations are to be removed from ns? Why, there would be no virtue in being good. Will any Prohibitionist argue that he has cured a man of the excessive habit of drink or any other bad habit when he lias merely removed Iho temptation, leaving the desire still in the man? No, sir, that man will so long as the desire is there satisfy it sooner or later. We must each work out our own karma, and no amount of interference by misguided meddlers can help the individual to evolve.—l am, etc., MUNRO R. GABRIEL. Palmerston North. October 19, 1917.