EXCESSIVE DRINKING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 38

EXCESSIVE DRINKING.

(From Oui: Own CoBBKSFONDENT.) AUCKLAND, April 6. In the course of his last midday Lenten address Bishop Crossley made some remarks upon the subject of excessive drinking, lie said he thought the time had come when the men of Auckland oueht to be brought into conference, and while he was not going to bring it ,;.o;>ut h.u wa.j ready to co-operate in the mi ■•■ meii* 'n ''••■!: what wire they going to do with their city? "I would ask tin l men on both side* to meet business men and labour leaders, prohibitionists and publicana beneath the Cross to see it .vi- uainol do something t., stem this tide of wroucr. I will venture to give you your platform. Aim at two things, and only two. Some years aeo I was talking to a working man in England, arid he s'lid t'i me. ' v -'<' could slop three-quar-ters of the drinking if we could only see by legislation that every public-house has plain plate-glass windows and plain plate-glass doors.' I believe he is right. If a man were not ashamed of taking his glass of beer, and lie was not going to tell him lie ought not to, let him take it before the public —let him stand at the bar ■■<• he would stand at a counter <>T a cake shop and let him be seen by everyone. Then. 1 think, we would modify our drinking custom/' The bishop said he was speaking as the publican's friend, and not as his opponent, but he must ask why was it that these places of drinking were so muffled up? The bishop said his other plan was to ensure (he supply of pure liquor. "T say to the temperance party of this country." he continued. " you have not done as you ought in this respect. You have been content to see taking place the worst conditions that can prevail. Some of yon have even made .the boast, that the worse the prevailing conditions of the Liquor traffic the better if, is for the temperance party. We ought to demand by legislation pure drink. We know what happens to much of the liquor that is at present supplied. I won't use the word ' adulterated,' but ' manipulated.'—(Laughter.) Let them aim at open public houses and

pure drink. Carry prohibition if they would, but don't let them wait for seven years in contentment with the present conditions."