LIQUOR LEGISLATION REFORM LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14784, 17 March 1910, Page 5

LIQUOR LEGISLATION REFORM LEAGUE.

SIH, During last session of Parliament representatives of tlio A'o-liceiieo party and tiio liquor trade endeavoured to come to a" agreement in regard to the licensing question. As is well known, the compactarrived at by what might be tormed the two extreme parties was not carried out, l his may bo regarded as a fortunate circumstance, as a very important section of the public—namely, tho moderate drinl;ei6~ were never consulted as to what legislation would meet with their wishes in the event of aiiy amendments being made in tho Licensing Act. The omission of the extremists to consult fchc moderates may perhaps be excused, when it is considered that the ,alter are not an organised body. JJut as the liquor traffic primarily exists lor tho benefit of tho users of alcohol it is only right that they should have some say in future legislation that may be proposed in relation to the traffic. It is, therefore, highly deniable that the moderates should f«ke immediate steps to organise themselves into a distinct party if they do not wish to bo ignored, as they have been in the past. With the view of testing public feeling in the matter. I should noiv like to invite your readers to discuss the question of forming a league, which will represent the views of iiioderato drinkers, and endeavour to protect their interests. In order to give some definite direction to the discussion I would suggest that the name of the proposed leaguo be "The Liquor Legislative Reform League," and that the following bo its objects:— 1. To agitate for the repeal of the present local option law, and to promote legislation providing for the taking of a local option poil which will determine whether or not the electors in each licensing district are in favour of the muiiicipalisation of tho liquor traffic. 2. To secure amendments in the existing law which shall provide for the enforcement of severer penalties for drunkenness than we at present enforced.

3. To ensure adequate provision being madu by the Government • for the proper treatment of habitual inebriates in reformatories.

4. To prevent the marriage of incurable drunkards and the -procreation of children by them.

5. To distribute literature bearing on the objects of the league, and to take such steps as may seem expedient to prevent drunkenness and to promote sound liquor legislation. '

I may say that in putting forward these proposals I fully recognise tho possibility that they might not all commend themselves to a sufficiently large number of people to warrant thoir permanent inclusion in the "objects" of any league such as I have suggested should lie formed. I think, however, that they might fittingly form the subjects of discussion for the formation of a league. In the event.of a league being formed the members would, of course, have the privilcgo of adopting any or all of the, proposals suggested, or of substituting others which they thought would aippcal to ft larger public—l am, etc., H. F. B.

THE CHILDREN'S BREAD FUND. Sin,—Some time ago you published correspondence from a Mr Lister Stead, of Glasgow, in. connection with the British Children's Bread Fund, in which grave doubts were expressed as to the genuineness of the persons to whom the disposal of tho money had been entrusted. At the time the Trades and Labour Council replied to tho communication and supplied sufficient documentary information to satisfy tho subscribers to tho fund that the money was not only in. the hands, of most reliable parsons, but that it was being expended in the manner stipulated in the Trades Council's appeal. The Rev. S. Bailey, of Kew, has kindly placed at your disposal, and you have been good enough to publish, a letter from the Rev. Thomas Jackson, superintendent of the Working Lads' Institute and Home, London, in which that gentleman states ho had heard nothing of a New Zealand Bread Fund; and, further, ''that if the Christians of Now Zealand, through the Labour Council, send their liberal gifts to the care of Mr Robert Blatchford, of the Clarion, then there is no need to wonder that no portion of their contributions finds its way to agencies that assooiate religion and high-toned morality with their operations."

With tho opinions of the rev. gentleman in reference to Mr Blatchford's religious views we have nothing whatever to do. A man's religion is a matter which concerns himself only, and is no other person's business, but it is another matter when Mr Jackson casts a doubt on the honesty of Mr Blatchford simply because he holds different opinions on the question of .religion.

Mr | Blatchford did not ask the people of _ tho Dominion to forward their subscriptions to him.- Ho might have been just as pleased had tho money been forwarded and distributed through some other channel. But his great heart had been moved to pity by the sight of starving children. He appealed to the people of England, and the response was good. The. echo of Ids appeal reached New Zealand, and was put into concrete form bv the Otaao Trades and Labour Council.'The result was a responso of which the people of Otago and the Trades Council had reason to bo proud. The responsibility of fulfilling the trust reposed in Mr Blatchford, of distributing the New Zealand gift, was undoubtedly felt by him, and after consultation with the High Commissioner, he fully concurred with the pledge given by tho Trades Council—viz., that the money vvolild be expended on food onlv. and that no portion would be spent in "distribution expenses. The money was banked in tho names of Robert Blatchford, editor, and Alexander M. Thompson, manager of tho Clarion, and another.

On May 7 tho following appeared in the Clarion, signed by Mr Thompson:-

To the Secretaries of Cinderella Clubs and Bread Fund'?. We have devoted long and (■.■>rr<'sl consideration to the disposal of the

funds entrusted to us for the feeding of hungry children by trades unions iind other subscribers in New Zealand, and, by the approval of the' High Commissioner for the Dominion, we have decided to dispense the inonov through the medium of the' Cinderella Clubs and Bread Funds. To help us in this work, we would ask all Cinderella and •Bread I'tind secretaries to send us report of the work they are actually doing, the needs with which thev are dca hng, and the possibilities of further useful expenditure. Secretaries of Cinderella Clubs and Bread Funds who Ha>;o been compelled to give up work owing to lack of funds are invited also to send in statements of their local needs that we may allocate the funds as justly and evenly as our organiea'on will permit. All reports should be addressed to me at this office. This dearly indicates, that those entrusted with the disposal of the wonev subscribed in New Zealand were not onfy taking steps to have it expended in the manner stipulated in our appeal, but thev had consulted the High Commissioner' as to the mode of distributiiitr it. To give you? readers an idea of the woric done by the Cinderella Club referred to, we would like you tc publish the following extracts: —

'Wo brought our winter's work to a oleso on Good Friday by giving a breakfast of cocoa, bread and drim>irra. and buns, to 443 children. Since we started last October we have given 5559 breakfasts. In addition to this wegave a hot Christmas dinner of roast beef, plum pudding, orairges, etc., to 295 children. Some of the children who came to us were clean, though poorly clad. Others who came to ns at 7.30 in the morning had the appearance of not having been, washed for days. Mairj were without boots or stockings, a largo number without decent underclothing, their nakedness covered by rags one would not put a dog to lie on. Itr face of these conditions, and remembering the homes the children would have to go back to, our work appeared to me like trying to put out Vesuvius with a, teacup. There ia a pale little girl who looke as if she did not belong to this world, and to whom a stay amongst the. grass and flowers would bo a paradise indeed. What can the Clarion do in tliis way?

These extracts were published in . the Clarion last winter, and reports have appeared almost every week up to tho procent time, some of them more heartrending than those quoted above. Mr Jaokson bcasls about the number of people his society ha.s been instrumental in assisting, but we question whether ho can produco a better record than the Cinderella Clubs and bread funds during their existence in Britain.

• When'launching our appeal we made it clear that it was our intontiorr to send the monoy to Mr Blatchford, and Mis fact that tlie various churches subscribed such a Bum proves that the members of those dmrches had confidence in tho Trades Council that, the money would be plnc«l in the hands of trustworthy people, and it would require something more- than the letter from tho Rev. Thomas Jackson to convince- us that our confidence in Mr Robert Blatchford has been misplaced. Mr Jackson's letter, so far as it relates to Mr Blatchford. is very bitter, and is anything but creditable to a man who claims to bj a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wc look for charity from Christian ministers,' but we can look in vain for a sign of charity in Mr Jackson's letter. A short time ago the cables annouireod that a Rev. Lewis D. Thomas intended holding a thanksgiving service for tho defeat of Mr Will Crook's at the British elections. Fortunately for us. Mr Crooks had a short time'previously paid a visit to the Dominion, and, besicks delivering publio addtceas, had taken tho pulpit in several church meetings. We therefore took no notica of the ravings of this person. Mr Blatchford has never visited this part of the world, but we venture to say that were ho to do so wa would find that he was just as deserving of the bitter attack of the Rev. Thomas Jackson as Mr Will Crooks was of the attack of the Rev. Lewis D. Thomas. We are perfectly satisfied of the honesty of Mr Blatchford, and have implicit faith in him to carry out tho pledge we gave to the public. Ho has a record that oven tho Rev. Thomas Jackson might well bo proud of. In conclusion, allow us to quote two lines from Mr Thomas Bracken's poem, " Not Understood": Poor souls with stunted vision Oft measure giants by their narrow gauge, ; On behalf of the Bread Fund Committee, Ij am, etc., R. Breen, sooretary.