PROHIBITION QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18224, 18 October 1922, Page 11

PROHIBITION QUESTION.

DISCUSSION BY SYNOD.

MANY VIEWS EXPRESSED.

The debate on prohibition was continued by the Anglican Synod last evening. A number of the speakers displayed considerable vehemence and earnestness, and the course of the debate was followed by

. number of visitorsSpeaking to the motion, that the church people of the diocese be recomnended to vote for prohibition at. the orthcoming poll, Archdeacon G. Macfcwr&y said he had seen so many families legraded and the breadwinners dragged, lown to a diunkard's grave that he felt., trongly on the subject. If the motion rore defeated it would be interpreted aa , defeat for prohibition and would --be dazoned throughout the country. The Rev. G. Gordon Bell spoke in fav.ur of the amendment, to the effect that ynod should, express its strong conviction hat it is the boundless duty of Christian ' ieople, unless they are prepared to vote or total prohibition of the liquor traffic,. o have some other drastic remedy fov m evil which is "sapping the work and ifficiency of the community." He failed ;o find anything in the Bible which •ountenanced prohibition.' The Lord died unless, and he drank alcoholic liquor, iurely it was not wrong to ba a moderate Irinker. He was amazed at the different juitlook to the question prevalent in New Zealand iron* the sober, common-sense attitude taken in England. He believed the present system needed -'oform and was convinced the evil had not been tackled. The consequence was that an exaggerated form of correction had arisen. In his opinion a system which eliminated private profit and which provided clean liquor would re-sulb in the abolition of the prohibitionist. Ke charged the prohibition movement with kilHru? the real temperance movement in the country. It made the stand of Christian temperance in New Zealand impossible. The Rev. Jasper Calder also supported the amendment. Man, he said, was born a free agent with a free will and had to fight against, temptations. Ethically, he believed it wrong to substitute prohibition for Christian principles. He outlined his own work in endeavouring to secure reforms iu t'he hotels, and expressed the opinion that if the present Government were returned to power at the coming general election it would see that necessary reforms were put into effect. The only solution was the segregation of the hopeless ''old-timers in places where they could live in ?««-* safety, health and happiness. . The Rev. C. H. Grant Oow*n jirfjg if the conditions rohted by, Mr £ i in his campaign agamst h.teie fcted, they Bl £/;Uibition. but Personally, -he *»JJ k * t p ' ci «fo«d itselftho trade itself f«gjgy A sVß tem like If the trade had there the cafe system on the Co ml would nev «&&£s*. thev now *d movement. .■*•>'"" thera . Ha criticued to make sacrifices the amendment &&&£#&s?*&