THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15300, 14 November 1911, Page 6

THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR MILLS.

.The Garrison Hall was well filled last niftht with people interested in the noliccmo question, who wseomWed to hear an address by Professor Mills on thus subject, fho Nov. Mr Axclson presided. lrolwsor Mills, who was warmly ro«iwd upon rising, l»wn battling that it alcohol was a now thins in Now Zealand, if it ha<l been here no longer than he hid been, or if thoy were no belter acquainted with it than Uicy were with him, and if the liquor dealors hod been dome what thoy had the last tbeo months, then there would have been no need for public meetings of this sort to drivo it out of the country oik* and for ever. Tho only reason why trey had those eampaiinw was bctauso hquor came i n t o th» world when the people did not know any. llnnpr abut alcohol, and who wcro ignorant of it* effect. It had consequently (Srcd in the work! a long,' long time, and tho peoplo had como to tho concluiipn that it must bs all right. It was looked upon as a friend ami a factor of most soriou* importance in tho lifo and prosperity of Un raco.-(Laugl,tcr.) It was this for a thousand conturie*. and anyone who had tho courage to call it an onemy wee roBarA«d as one who had spoken unkind word* about en,old friond. Thoj woro tod,that alcohol wee a food, and this was believed until a scicntifjo method of investigation wai introduced which onablod thorn to deal with- it in much the sorno way as tUy hed been enabled to come to oonctoe»ne in regard to political and social questions. Uy investigation,. their vicwi mMi regard to alcohol had boon completely altered.. Thoy wcro told by thoso who wero interested in tho trade that alcohol was indispen«blo as a. foodstuff. This was a. great fallacy, and ho assured them that instead, of liquor rooking a man stronger, or instead of -. it acting as a stimdant, it lied tho opposJto effect. It was oontondod also originally; that drink mode a man stronger after.'ho had been drinking for u period, than it did when ho first commeiK'od to drink. They found, however, that it mado him weaker at tho end, and not only that, it' weakened him at both ends.—{Uughtor.) By this bo meant to My that tho moment a. man commenced to drink alcohol-it luui a weakening effect upon him.' Thorn had been various bona lido ikit made, and all had proved coochh fjyftly that alcohol was not & food nor a, stimulant', and • that < it undermined the hiwwii fystem instead of building it up. Alcohol vfm not a stimulant, but it was an aniwthetic,' and it produced tbo completo uncbrieciousncfe : ,of, an aniasthotsa 'I'hero was no joy in- and there was no victory irr olceuig thou eyes'j thofo was no triumph in '. to understand, nor. was thcro any thjo lore of consoiousntws. Mr E, Tregcor said, a tew days ogo in giving >his rcesonßjfor favouring prohibition, that it was dear that tho workmen in largo numbers, indwid of overcoming tho wrong that laid against them, gave way to drowning their memories by retorting to drink instead of resorting to action sober and intelligently. Ho wanted to «eo liquor abolished in- order that the people could study long enough jo remedy their wrongs by ceraistont and intelligent action.