A SUGGESTION ON THE DRINK QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13766, 3 June 1908, Page 5

A SUGGESTION ON THE DRINK QUESTION.

Sir, Kindly give mo audience for a word or two in your valuable paged on the muchdiscussed subject, of the drink problem. Many hundreds, it is said, have voted on the drink question. It in a wonder they did so, seeing that they have only tin* two extreme courses of dealing with the drink question, which must only prove a bore to any wellbalanced mind. Let mo suggest it middle . course between the two extremes given us on our voting-paper. Let tho Government issue to every person on the electoral roll an almanac, perforated like a sheet, of postapo stamps, each compartment representing fin order for a drink, without which it. would be unlawful for a publican to servo any person with drinks, tbeso stamps (or coupons) to be sent in to tho police each week by the publican. Any person could "bit limited ' to six drinks a week. Any person able to prove that he was worth over £100 could be .. entitled to two sots instead of one, which would enable him to have 12 drinks per week. Medical men could be authorised to give orders where extra quantities were required for medicinal purposes. The drink traffic could thus be controlled without loss to revenue, or to the publicans. At the same time, if this system wore adopted, if would mean that no person could lie ruined by drink, yet nobody would bo deprived, of it. The coupon system works well in other departments, " why not 'iii" the. drink , department? A. J. Whiteside. Wuangamarino. \