MILITARY CANTEENS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 8

MILITARY CANTEENS

CHORUS OF PROTEST,

(Peu United Pjiess Association.)

AUCKLAND, December 6.

On Saturday local ministers received telegrams from Mr X. E. Taylor, on behalf of the New Zealand Alliance, ing them at the Sunday services to have resolutions passed protesting against the proposal in the Defence Bill for the obtainng of intoxicants in canteens in military camps. 111 most cases the request was acceded to, and strongly-worded re solutions were passed by. the congregations,

FEILDIiVG, December 6. There was a very large congregation at tho Wesleyan Church yesterday. The question of canteens at military camps was laid before tho gathering. Mr C. 11. Poole, M.P., spoke on the matter, after which the Eev. C. K. Beckroft (ex-presi-dent of tho Wesleyan Conference) proposed that tho following telegram he sent to the Prime Minister" Deeply concerned at Government proposal to con-' t-iuue faciltics for obtaining intoxicants at military camps. Considering grave moral danger to which liquor canteen system exposes youth of Dominon, Feilding Wesley congregation earnestly and emphatically urges its abolition." The motion was carried unanimously. The telegram was sent to Wellington this morning. WELLINGTON, December 6. The congregations of a number of the local churches passed resolutions yesterday protesting against cantecns beiug provided for by tho Defence Bill. CHRISTCHURCH, December G. In all the non-opiscopai churches of the city and suburbs, also the Young Men's Christian Association, resolutions were passed condemning and protesting against the 'establishment of canteens at the military training camps, as proposed in the Defenco Bill. The resolutions were passed unanimously by largo congregations. This morning the papers contain letters to "ne editor both for and against canteens—mostly againet. Tho only strong one in favour of them is from an ex-contingenter. ASHBURTON, December 6. Yesterday all the Nonconformist churches passed (resolutions protesting against the provisions for canteens being included in the Defence Bill. Several young men's\Bible classes also passed similar resolutions, considering that cankens were calculated to exercise a demoralising influence on the young men compelled to attend these camps. OAMARU, December 6. The local church congregations yesterday adopted strong resolutions protesting against tho provision for camp canleens in connection with tho Defence Bill.

The Dunedin Women's Christian Temperance Union, in protest against the provision for canteens in the Defence Bill, has sent telegrams to tho Prime Minister, Mr J. F. Arnold, and the Hon. J. A. Millar soliciting their support. The Hon. J. A. Millar wired to tlie president stating that the matter would have his caroful consideration.

At a meeting of the Temperance arid Morals Committee of the Methodist Church of New Zealand yesterday, the Rev. P. \Y. Fairclough presiding, the proposals concerning canteens in the Defence Bill were considered, and t-lio following motion was carried" That the most shocking degradation that can befall our young men is the liquor habit; that it is difficult to imagine any condition more favourable to temptation than those provided by camps, where homo and social influences arc suddenly withdrawn, and youths are plunged headlong into new excitements and t-hc seductions of new and unclassified companionships; that now, for the first time, it is proposed to make attendance at military camps compulsory on the part of our youths, so that the bill becomes a measure for .securing the compulsory exposure of ow sons to a fiery temptation from which ,it has been a prime object in life to shield them that this provision for the supplying of liquor to camps will havo the effect of arraying tens of thousands of very resolute citizens against the Defence Bill itself; that this representation committeo expresses its amazement at the audacity of the canteen proposal, protests indignantly against it, and demands its unqualified withdrawal." (Feou Our. Own Coehzspokdeut.) WELLINGTON, December 6. Telegrams objecting to the • canteen proposal in the Defence Bill have been showering upon members to-day. Mr G. W. Russell has replied to telegrams from his constituents objecting to the existence of canteens at military encampments that he considers canteens are unnecessary, and would be a eourcc of teraotation to youths and young men, ami will therefore support the rejection of clause 04 of the Defence Bill.