CORRESPONDENCE

Southland Times, Issue 19335, 29 August 1924, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE

brttarv «MHt to Yntttoa U IM to m «m ••• M MHoUm. mwU. a tetw m • vwvte. of mt tauh It MU ut ba mmMwM. MIMUb iUmM U Um ipav, u> 1 imbltabM tawHM that mb. mKIm Mm Im V th. MIUr. • rl*M rtkh I. unM la ( w. turn. * nbUa bollv, IM, m. but. aa4 fair

TEMPERANCE AND REFORM.

To the Editor. Sir, —I can’t refrain from saying what a pity it is that what was at first intended to be a for and against the liquor traffic discussion between Mr Baxter and Fairfax’s Ghost, should have developed into nothing short of a Biblical wrangle that leads nowhere, on a point which to-day is regarded by modern thinkers as ancient drivel of the silliest kind. It serves no good purpose in demonstrating the evils and world wide destruction of a large portion of the human race. It is quite enough for us to know that the drink bill for this small community of only a million and a-half of people is over eight million pounds, to our shame, per annum, and its deadly march through this beautiful country must be sapping the life’s blood of thousands of homes, which, without the destructive traffic, could enjoy vastly more of this world’s goods of every kind, and a lot of extra pleasures thrown in for mother and kiddies. Only picture for a moment the distribution of this vast suip of eight and a-half millions in the purchase of comforts and things that matter. What an impetus it would at once give to trade in all branches and walks of life, to say nothing of the personal home life where the father would always come home sober and there would always be full and plenty. To think with all this vast expenditure of £8,500,000 we get nothing in return for it, but billets found for hundreds of officials who are employed to deal with the disorders brought about, in nine cases out of ten, through the drink evil. In conclusion, I have no desire to wilfully speak disrespectfully of the Scriptures, but it is so long ago and so far removed from pre-sent-day customs that I feel it behoves this present-day generation to deal drastically with matters that are so disastrously near our own doors. —I am, etc., T. GILLER.