WET CANTEENS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21507, 21 November 1939, Page 9

WET CANTEENS

THE PRESBYTERIAN ATTITUDE By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, November 20. The Government’s decision to allow wet canteens at military camps was considered by the Presbyterian General Assembly to-day, when a resolution on the matter, framed by the Assembly’s Temperance Committee, was referred to another committee for consideration. The convener of the Temperance Committee (the Rev. C. J. Tocker) said the findings of different bodies often seemed to represent the propaganda of the liquor trade rather than the free expression of public opinion. He referred particularly to the attitude of the Returned Soldiers’ Association. Mr Tocker said he was not prepared to ask the Assembly to protest at what had been done, but it was in his mind to congratulate the Government on the step it had taken. He urged the Government to take similar action concerning hotels near camps, and said that if the boys went to Alexandria or Cairo better care would have to be taken than was the case in the last war.

The motion Mr Tocker sponsored expressed opposition on the principle to the establishment of wet canteens, but recognised that the Government had done well in excluding spirituous liquors and in reducing the alcoholic content of ale.

The Rev. H. J. Ryburn described the comments on the Returned Soldiers’ Association as an undeserved slur and on Mr Ryburn’s motion the resolution was referred to the committee for report.