LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16873, 9 December 1916, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PRINCETON COLLEGE AND THE WAII.

Sir —A letter in your issue of tho 6th inst. by Alfred Dow, of Princeton, makes excellent reading. No doubt it serves to show the social distinction Mr Dow has achieved in his election as president of that college, but it in no way detracts from Profeesor Dickio's statement. If one may ask a quest-ion: What are New Zealanders, etc., doing in America when their country is at war and conscription in operation? Obviously they cannot be supporting anyone. Can they reasonably say they are employed on necessary labour ?— I am, etc., Cui Bono Dunedin, December 7.

THE LIQUOR TRADE AND OLU YOUNG PEOPLE.

Sir, —In your isuue o£ the Ist inst. appears the report of the e.;is& of a Middlemarch publican, who had to answer live ciiargos of supplying intoxicating drink to youtiis under Uie age of 21 years, and one charge ol permitting treating. On the first oi the charges of supplying he was convietcd and fined 40s, and costs (17s). 'lo other two charges iio jjloaded guilty, and was lined in each case 2Us, and costs (7s). The plea of guilty was made to the charge of permitting "shouting," and the offender was lined in the aggregate £7 5s 4d. The other two charges of supplying to youths under age were withdrawn, ostensibly because there was not evidence enough to convict.

Now in writing on this subicct I am engaging in what is to roe a most unpleasant duty. In my public capacity as a minister of Jesus Christ, 1 have necessarily to come into close contact with sin and suffering, especially with tlio suffering and sorrow caused by the evils of the liquor traffic. And the debauchery of the young life of the community, contrary even to the weak restricting law of the land is, to my certain knowledge, answerable for a good deal of heart-breaking sorrow to more than one poor mother in this district. The publicity this prosecution has gained gives rise to certain lines of thought which may be mentioned in the interests of the youthful class endangered by brcachcs of the law relating to the sale of tllo body and soul destroying drink. 1. One. wonders what can bo the moral and mental calibre of any liconse-holder who has possibly been systematically violating the law of the land by retailing intoxicating liquor to mere children? 2. Logically, one may ask why the law allows any license-holder wilfully to violate the conditions of his contract, arid to continue him in the business after it has imposed a penalty?— a penalty, by the _ way, so ridiculously inadequate to the ofi'cnee as to be one over which the offender must chuckle with inward satisfaction. 3. How often this anomalous evil is seen, that a licensee will make it absolutely impossible for himself to continue in this business in one locality, but on moving to another place, perhaps more promisingly lucrative, may bo entrusted by the law with another license makiDg it for him if so disposed, to continue the same old game, or worse! Surely such a condition of things is enough to breed contempt for a law that permits it, and to make one agree with the character who said: "The law is a hass."

. 4. Why is it so often loft to private individuals to lay a charge of this nature? Why should the law, in tho persons of its representatives and guardians, move with such leaden feet and purblind eyes in localities where this debauchery of youth, sly-grog- selling, shouting, etc., are known to exist? Is it becauso the power of this vested monopoly, the liquor trade, is superior to law and order? It would seem so, judging from the working of the law itself, or the ineptitude of its administrators. The liquor traffic simply snorts defiance at all efforts to regulate, restrict, or abolish it from this fair dominion of New Zealand, and will continuo so long as tho character of its law-makers is simply a reflex of the electoral character of tho voters who plaeo them ill its legislative halls.

In this particular a miffhty wave of reform. akin to that which is steadily and surely sweeping thrj United Stnt.cs. Canada, the Australian" States, etc., clean from the liquor curse, will come our -way when our Parliamentary representatives are other than men:

Who will but what they must by—.(crack of whip) And can no other choose.

With apology to Milton, and thanks to yourself.—l am, ete., J. Standbing. Midd'lemarch, December 5.