LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23828, 7 June 1939, Page 7

LIQUOR TRAFFIC

" DEMORALISING EFFECTS " QUESTION OF CONTROL DISCUSSION BY PRESBYTERY Eeporting on. behalf of the Public Questions Committee of the Dunediri Presbytery at its meeting last night, Dr E. N. Merrington, said that the committee recommended for approval certain resolutions recently adopted at the conference between delegates of the churches and the superintendent of the New Zealand Alliance (Mr H. N. Milner) in relation to future activities-with reference to the licjuor traffic. Introducing the report; Dr Merrington said that this was a mattei: not 'only- of New. Zealand import-, ance—it was a world-wide question to-day. He supposed that seldom in' the history of the world nad there' been a more acute sense of the social dangers of,alcoholic indulgence than at present. .".•"'

Drinking at Dances

There was the drinking at dances, Dr Merrington said, and its demoralising effects on young people, and especially the drinking in motor can; by peopl attending dances* Anyone who wer.t to the big social functions would realise that there was a tremendous amount o moral damage being wrought among young men as well as young women by indulgence i.i liquor. T was one of the really acute problems of to-day —one of the real social problems of their time, involving life and health and freedom from accidents. It seemed to him that the recommendations were very sound. ; Saturday Closing of Hotels Dr. Merrington said that the paragraph regarding the closing of hotels on Saturdays really received additional force from the fact that a large number of workers were free all day. on Saturday and did not know What to' do with their time, and they'tended to become segregated in■:the,public-houses. As a result, what, should be a boon to mankind-T^leisure—became very often; »■ cutsei t ■•;■■• The recommendations were asiol-:lows:-fc,>-,v .'.■ ■■•-,.'

lv: That this conference recommends to the churches'for earnest "consideration and adoption ,the following resolutions:—• - ■ 2. That the principle Of preferential voting, be adopted in all liquor referendums.';.' ; . S. That the, right of local option be restored to all voting areas; districts to be defined along .the lines of "community of interest,!' 4.- That all Church: groups earnestly "consider the question of launching'a'.Dominion-wide,!' total abstinence" campaign., '-' 5. That a request be made to the Government to lower the alcoholic content of all intoxicating liquors. . * v 6. That liquor bars be closed (a) all day on Saturdays; or (b) at noon on Saturdays. 7; That the superintendent of the allience be asked to prepare a comprehensive questionnaire to be .submitted to \aW Church and temperance v,i• ' ~. • The resolutions Were taken singly, and were all carried Unanimously. They will be forwarded to the Public Questions Committee of the assembly. ! '--l