"BRITISHERS ON "DRINK." TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11454, 20 June 1899, Page 6

"BRITISHERS ON "DRINK." TO THE EDITOR.

.; Sir, —In a letter i your' columns on 17th inst, signed "Britishr," under the heading* " Drink,'*' there occur-the following sentence: * "■We have no just ighf,to; treat men :and women as if they wee hot able to control their own appetites; ive have ho right to place them on the levl, of beasts,:by denying them the opportunity^ show that they/are something better." *" .",

I maintain, Sir," wrhave every right to, hinder men and womerfrom destroying them-. selves. If is a fact kown to all that thou-: sands of men and wpmo. cannot control_their .appetites,, and destroy.themselves for . time .' and. eternity—and invcve others in "a like, fate—while claiming ant using their, right of * personal control.. t The.lw. interposes to pre-' ivent self-destruetij-n, ; aid > punishes the. at--'tempt, and no one says^bat is wrong; * And' just as it is right to hinde! suicide, it is equally. •right-to prevent men aiidvvoineh w-«-ess to. the. means which they pervc-i-aly use to their own detriment and destruction.-; Is it claimed that": ; people have -the right to.iplace themselves* ibelow: the level of the beasvby clictosihg to * indulge their own appelates is the -beasts* donot? Is it* not right and *m T ciful to place: out of the reach of men and ybmen what is so manifest and frequent a mans of self .-de-, gradation and self-destruction ?*T think this ': is so obvious that Tarn right in \sserting -that no Government has,any moral rigit to;license ' what is proved to lead to the ruin Of thousands, upon thousands of human beings;; who,; but for them, might be prosperous ant honourable members of the commonwealth'^-I am. I etc., ■;■. -.•-.. Another Beitisbee. *