THAT ANZAC DINNER.

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 929, 2 May 1918, Page 6

THAT ANZAC DINNER.

Too Much Liquor.

"\7IT-E give the authorities of the ;•'■■»■. Returned-Soldiers' Glub every credit for good intentions, feiit, a very grave mistake was : made in haying liquor at the Anzac Dinner. What happened was just what might have been expected. When ' 'old ,'- cobbers" meet in town from all over the Dominion to fight their battles over again, to renew old friendships, and celebrate events of which they and their fellow; countrymen have just 'reason to be proud, it goes , without saying that a certain amount, of drinking—fpr\ sheer good fellowship . sake —is bound to occur. As a matter of/fact, not a few of the men whd attended the dinner had already had far more drink than" was good for them when they reached the hall, and an allowance of liquor which would have been moderate; and reasonable enough under ordinary circumstances and conditions was, when coming on top of day time pro-, ductive of very lamentable results. No one wants to see returned soldiers treated like children, but a little, common sense would have prevented what was a very discreditable ecenei . ■* - ■ ..■*. « ■»■..' \ - ' It is said that the Mayor offered, on behalf of himself and his fellow members of the City Council, to "entertain the men at a public dinner, but that the proviso,, "soft drinks only," was the cause of this kindly-meant hospitality being "turned down." It is much to be regretted that the committee responsible for the dinner- did not accept Mr. Luke's offer. The Returned Soldiers' Club is exceptionally well managed, as is'proved by the fact that since its opening only few members have been asked to resign on account of bad behaviour. We should be very sorry if the good name of the Club were to suffer in any way through what took place at this Anzac gathering, but we cannot acquit the authorities of all blame. Next year's Anzac Dinner will, , we trust, be run on very different lines. '■