PROHIBITION CAMPAIGN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 23, 13 December 1919, Page 8

PROHIBITION CAMPAIGN.

ADDRESSES BY RETURNED MEN

Addresses in the' interests of tno Prohibition movement wore delivered by a number of returned soldiers at the Stratford Town Hall last evening before a good attendance of *he public. The speakers we're listened to attentively, there bding few interjections. Those who took 'f/he platform were: Mr Bensley (Inglewood), Major Urquhart (Toko}, Surgeon-Captain Gordon (Stratford) and Mr Sim (New Plymouth!, all having seen service for varying periods during the war. His Won:liii) the Mayor (Mr J. Wi MeM'llan) presided and asked for the speakers an impartial hearing. Mr Bensley dealt chiefly with the moral aspects of the issue. The question of prohibition, he said, was one for deliberate .calculation, and much of the frantic raving that no doubt had been experienced in former years, was unnecessary.

In recording impressions on Active Service, Major Urquhart remarked that he. was casting no reflection on the conduct of the New Zealand soldier, in fact he had, when on leave in England, never seen a New Zealander Buffering from the effects of drink. U was his opinion, however, that where there was drink there was trouble, and it was safe to say that over 90 per cent, of the serious c*me in the army was directly traceable i'o drink. It had been estimated thafc in the British Forces the number constantly incapacitated from servjee through drink was the strength of a whole division, namely 20,000 men. He believed that if England had put out the drink when war was declared an earlier determination of 'the struggle and the saving of thousands of lives would have resulted. He cornbatted t''« arguments sometimes used •.•hat the rum ration was essential, and said that just as much benefit could be derived from hot drinks, such as soups and coffee. Dealing with the soldiers' vote he said that Wie men had 'been greatly influenced as a result of the Moderate League propaganda, which was designed to lead the soldier iio believe that advantage was being taken of his , absence to take a poll on the liquor, question, and that he was not going to gefi a vote. Though this wa s later denied, the impression probably remained in the minds of the men that it was only under pressure that they had been given a vote. ,

Dr Gordon in the medical side of the subject, and. staled that in recent'years there had been, ii remarkable change of attitude in medical circles. The American Medical Association,' which wis reprcsenta'tave of the best medical opinion in the United States, expressed opposition- to the use of alcohol as a beverage, and gave the opinion >!ihat its' use a s a therapeutic agent, should be discouraged. Though the actual figures had never been published he believed that, in reply to a circular issued by the British Medical "Association, "about 70 percent, of the medical men of New Zealand had expressed themselves as. being in favor of prohibition. r Jh-?. speaker quoted cases from actual experience, and expressed the opinion that alcohol taken'in excess, as well as in moderation, was an evil. He realised that prohibition was not. the ideal method ;' the ideal method, would be to' get people' to abstain,,from, .alcohol voluntarily, but';.as*.-this ; cpulu not be achieved sa tiSi actorily, prohibition was the only remedy.

A vigorous speech by Mr Sim covered a wide range. After dealing with the economic-point of view he stated, '..hat the'Moderate League was nothing more or less than the mouthpiece of the Liquor Trade. Personally he was not there to tell them that he had been a prohibitionist all his life: he hud "got on the wh'ter waggon after due consideration." Touching matters relating to returned soldiers, he pointed, thai') the National Party of Returned Soldiers in, Melbourne had decided in favor of proliibition, the Victorian section of, the. Returned Soldier* and Sailors had made' total prohibition one of lihe main planks of tlieir platform, and at a recent meeting of the N.Z.R.S.A. in Chnstehurch a motion in favor of asking the Government to grant! charters to all Returned Soldiers' Clubs in New Zealand was defeated by 39 to '2. Mr Sim dealt with the soldiers' vote and expressed the opinion that this time instead of 18 per cent of the soldiers voting for prohibition, the percentage would he about 38 and'"booze'' would go under. In mentioning other affairs the speaker remarked that he •was a member of the New Zealand

Labor Party as at present constituted. This lpd to some interruptions about Semple and Holland, to which the speaker replied "I support the party, not the man."

At question-time Mr S. Macnlister said he undersood the gathering was supposed to be a Diggers' meeting and asked that a show of hands be taken to see bow many Diggers were present.

Mr Sim proceeded to make a statement anj referred to the letter in the "Post," signed "Elector." In reply to the speaker, Mr Mac-, alister. said he was not the writer of the letter mentioned, and asked for a straight-out reply.

' The Mayor replied that the speakers did not wish to accede to the request.i

A lady in the body of the Hall contended that the meeting was intended to be a public one to be addressed by Diggers.

Dr. Gordon said he quite understood the questioner's line of argument but thought that it was made clear that the meeting was to # be run by Diggers, namely that the speakers werei to be returned men, the meeting to be public. Mr Macalister said others bad not undert.iibod it in that light. Mr W. Power moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, but did not think that the average returned soldier was in sympathy with the arguments adduced. On the call for a vote there was » small section of Ayes and no oppositiu, the Mayor declaring tho motion carried.