TRUST CONTROL IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 25513, 6 November 1944, Page 4

TRUST CONTROL IN CITY

System Discussed By Presbyterians

JUDGMENT WITHHELD

(P.A.) HASTINGS, November 4. The principal subject discussed at last night’s session of the Presbyterian General Assembly was the liquor question. The assembly was presented with a comprehensive report by the Temperance Committee and was given an outline of some of the proposals favoured by the recent.conference of church representatives and which, it was proposed, should be placed before the Liquor Commission. The assembly unanimously adopted the policy as outlined in the report from the committee. “We should withhold judgment in the meantime on the question of the trust system of control,” stated the Rev. H. H. Barton (Oamaru). “It is by no means certain that the trust control established in Invercargill is going to work out satisfactorily. It is feared in some quarters that repercussions from this system might be serious. There is a strong feeling, too, that the liquor trade may be deeply and further entrenched by the system.” ANNOUNCEMENT DESIRED

The Rev. J. A. Thomson (Invercargill) said the Southland Presbytery would not pronounce upon the trust until it had been in operation for six months, at the end of which period it was hoped some announcement could be made about the success or otherwise of the system. Mr Thomson pointed out that the liquor trade was never on a better footing than it was in Invercargill today. “The taxpayers provide all the cost of the buildings and the conduct of the retail side,” said Mr Thomson. “The brewers have no responsibility other than to pocket the profits.”

Mr Thomson issued a warning against coming to the conclusion at this stage that trust control Was the solution of the question. • A strong appeal for increased enthusiasm throughout the church on the question of temperance was made by the Rev. J. D. Smith, of Auckland, convener of the committee. It was feared, he said, that of late temperance lessons and services were often avoided by teachers in Sunday schools and Bible classes, largely because of the desire to avoid offending parents whose practice did not fit in with the lessons. Mr A. McEachran (Dunedin) said he did not agree that Bible class leaders had shirked their responsibilities in temperance instruction. He was all in favour of improving conditions in the hotels. RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CLUBS

“I hope the churches will work against the establishment of returned soldiers’ clubs,” stated Mr A. J. McEldowney (Christchurch). “After the last war these clubs were definitely an evil in the community. The . clubs worked against the morality of men and the community in general.” The assembly unanimously adopted the policy as outlined in the report from the committee. Another recommendation was that presbyteries and congregations be urged to appoint temperance agents, whose duty it would be to keep in touch with the temperance committee and further the work in their own areas.

An appeal was made to the church to get together the best brains and the best people to prepare a statement on temperance by the Rev. G. D. Falloon, who was a chaplain in the Pacific zone. There was a body of opinion which looked to the church to take the lead in a wide awake policy on this question, he said. J Pointing out that the subject was included in the syllabus in the schools, but was hardly ever given any attention by teachers, Mr D. R, F. Campbell (Morrinsville) urged that the church should press for instruction to be given on the subject in every school and that the inspectors be asked to make a point of setting questions to see that the instruction was so given.