DRUNKENNESS IN AUCKLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 10 April 1912, Page 8

DRUNKENNESS IN AUCKLAND.

BISHOP INDKT.\JE.\T. MUFFLED BARS AND MA.NII'Ui.ATED DP,INK. A system fur modifying the_ drinking habits* of the people—for dealing w.tu the city* drunkenness, to use h;s own words—was suggested by Bishop Crossl.v at liis final middav service in Auckland last week (says the "He:aki"). "I have seen more drunken men in Auckland,"' he said, "than 1 saw in five years in Melbourne. lam not going to touch upon anything political, nor <io I want to hurt anyone's convictions upon trie polity which was presented to the country recently, and which j-i.-ulted in such areinarkawe vote. But are wt- going to wait for five or seven years under tho present conditions, or has not the time arrived for us to unite in burying not a saint, but a sin. in this city'.' 1 think the time hr.s come when modi rate men of every sect ought to be brought into conference to ask what we are go.ng to do to alter C: .■ condition of the c;ty. No matter what political vote may be taken on this subject, the one rhun duty before us is to do romothing to remedy the state our people arc in. He asked them all. business men, labour leaders, prohibitionists, and publicans alike, to unite and se t jf they could mot help to stem this tide of wrongs; and he would venture to give them~a platform. Only two points w-re necessary to be observed. Once, in England, he had talkid with a workingman, who said he believed that threefourths of the existing drunkenness, especially among young persons, would be stopped if all the bars of hotels had clear plateglass windows, and char pl-ite-g'ass doors —iv revolution that could he effected bv the simplest enactment. He believed that was right. If a man was not ashamed to take a glass of beer--and he was not going to say he should not—let him take it before thi public standing up at the bar. as he would at the counter of a cake-shop. He thought that would modify the drinking hab.: enormously. Not as the enemy, bi:-. as tile friend of the publican, hi asked : "Why was the bar 'muffled up and hidden behind dulled glass and screens?" The second plank in the platform \v:~s pure '.cii-ink. The temperance party had done wrong in being content to s. e the worst conditions prevail in this respect : and some —not the best of its folowers—had gloried in it. snv:ng that the worse the conditions of ih.-; liquor traffic were the better for them. That was not moral. They ought to demand, by the severest legislation, pure drink, his hearers knew very will how drinkcould be —he would not us.; the wo:d "adulterated," but—"manipulated." as to create an undesired thirst, in which state it had. according to medical authority, an injurious effect upon the brain and stomach. Let them carry prohibition if they would : but they should not weit for years, goini content- d'y on with the present condition of affairs.''