LIQUOR IN FACTORIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20099, 9 November 1928, Page 11

LIQUOR IN FACTORIES.

(Published by Arrangement.)

A CANADIAN EMPLOYER CON DEMNS PROHIBITION.

Writing to the New Zealand Licensing Reform Association in Mnv of this year, Mr. F. Barry Haves, president of the Toronto Carpet Manufacturing Company, which employs some two thousand hands, indicates some of the reasons why prohibition has been abandoned in Canada, after an extensive period of trial, and State control installed in its place. Mr. Hayes writes as one who has, by experience, been converted from an advocate of " extreme prohibition " to a supporter of Government control. His letter is as follows: The Toronto Carpet Mfg. Co., Ltd., Toronto, Canada, May 23, 1928. Mr. 11, A. Armstrong, Dominion Secretary, The New Zealand Licensing Reform Association, Wellington, N.Z. Dear Sir, — I have your favour of the 24th ult., i" refcriinco to prohibition in Canada. As far as I can judge, doing away with prohibition and adopting Government control has been all to the good. When prohibition came in first, as a large employer of labour (having about 2000 employees in our different factories), wo were ardent advocates of it, and 1 must say that during the war our employees lived up to its requirements; but aitir the war they seemed to consider lliat their liberties were being interfered with, and resented that,-with the result that instead of drinking bear they took to bringing flasks into the factories and workrooms, with bad results. Since Government control has been in force this has all been done away with, and we think very much less drinking is being done, because the peoplo can only buy from dispensaries, so that the excesses that liook place under prohibition aro more or less eliminated.

With our young people in social sets, girl and boy both invariably carried flasks with thorn to dances,-which had » very detrimental effect on them. This has been done away with almost altogether under the control, i.e., a host can now provide some kind of cup—claret or wine or even punch—and, as ths young peoi>le are not restricted, and Imow that they can get more if they require it, thev do not go to excesses in*any way. In regard to the general "health of the communityj under prohibition a lot of bootlegging liquor was sold, and many deaths and impaired health was the result, as a great deal of the liquor was synthetic gin and illegally-manufactured goods.

1 do not think that the people generally would ever return to prohibition again, and I may say 1 am a convert from extreme prohibition to Government control. The fact that we have, no sales of liquor in the bar as it. used to be is quite a factor. All treating, which was a bane to life in the old days, is done away with. Yours very truly, (Sgd.) F. Barry llayes, (President). The foregoing is but one of hundreds of similar communications received from leaders of thought in all walks of life in Canada. They are unanimous in condemning prohibition (after an actual experience of that system extending over many years), and in praising State coil' trol. The example of our sister Britisi Dominion should be given due con sloe l '' l ' tion by the people of Now N will, at tlio approaching poll, ha Control. _