Some Results of the New Zealand Liquor Traffic

White Ribbon, Volume 44, Issue 531, 18 March 1940, Page 7

Some Results of the New Zealand Liquor Traffic

W rs. (Catherine I>< wning akland Anderson's Ba) din, E.I . read at ( on\ enti< >n

evil i> suit § ■ • the liqw >r traffic U -j 1 < .ti. extending fr< >m t< 1 another Ml down th( left a trail of sorrow in national individual life. ' 'in da\ may it 1 it.iple will realise that the •lie liquor traffic cannot be carried ■ • ■ ; I it such .t price as demoral and di humanit) This •ralisation and d< gradation sured in terms I>f drunkennt ss, idents, disease md in ency, to which one nia\ add an - amount oi human misery in and national life. What Is Best? ■ 1- best he liqix >r sl< I sa) "B< st foi what ''" i eal irts, for brain and will power, for in - !'. motor accidents, for hampei • he child's heritage t< 1 he wt■ 11 -1 »• •r n .1 liapp) home life, best for slov ip the mind and smashing tin for corrupting tin lif< for helping to till our gaols mental I">s|>itals, tor sh<>rt< 1 and fill Mcohol mental and phj steal capacit) ; - man) • partial •'l com lai nui. incapacity. which • oi economic loss n> tlu- home to the community. Mcohol puts judgment "nt ol - - ir, makes l( liable to cause accident! and to others It also 11) la\ r m< »ral conditions which generations yet unb to sutT< Cost Of A Thirst. \.\\ /-aland drink bill fot 1939 nsiderabl) over £'>.iim.iim. \ \hich pours down its throat in ir inch a gigantic sum spent in l is in a very diseased state of thir • and a \try imperfect itat< .1 11 •'n We license people to make and ell alcohol, and cloak with official • a business which is essential!) nd Ic< 'ii' wnicall) unsound, a busi'll it-h is tlu ji« atest law breaker business world of this or am •untry. cal fitness is not promoted b) : quite tin n\. iM (>ur noted ha\» . itin testinn-m hai no pl*«*e in training t< 1 excel

Liquor Revenue —Who Pays It?

\\ 1 In ar at 1 lection time the "If you abolish me liquor traffic, where is the revenue to come fr< m?" In the 11.111 nni' iim iis<, d. 1 uc t\ »r a>k telves who pays the liquor revenui t< 1 the < io\ ernnn nt Cei tainl) not tin inakt rs • tellers I>l alcoholic liquors ; it is the people who consume the 11101 wli«i pa) tin revenue Ihe publican takes it out of the pockets oi the people and pa) s so much to the Government b) wa) of taxation Then he puffs out his chest and says, "Look h< »w I help tin < i' >\ ernment t< 1 bala the Budg< t," and the traged) ol it is the people belies eit It the hug< sum spent on alcohol were diverted to other channels oi trade it would be better mmunit). and (kn ernments would not pend enorn simis in ch anin. up tin w re< I -td b) the drink trafTic. I append in i" 'int. gn en to me b) a high militan authorit). w hen alo >h< >l the British tiovernment £12,000 in a nnli' ngland Law Breakers. Tlu \.v. Zealand Year Book, l! sa> s "The great l>nlk ol th< dealt with in N< w /< alai : an 1 ol drankenn* ss, and »fT< n< es .». ain*i 1 • gulati< >ns acc< >unt about half I't the total comictions." In 1937 t the lal it figure -a» ailabU I, : malt s v m icted ol drunkenness, and 1 ; 7 u 1 lalt -w1 1« com icted ol drunkenness (repeated chai mist the same person are included in the ds). evictions t> >i 'I trunk in charge ol motor vehicles" in 1937 were 636, and fot one who appears before the court I tt-td nire tcapi arrest and manage to reach their homes But the man or woman who partakt alcohol, and then start- off to dn\t a motor vehicle on the public highway, ii a potential murderer The more I hear and ice of the alcoholic liquor traffic, the more I feel that it is the itest creator of (Time and miser) in our modern civilisation. It corrupts politics and the press to a more or lts S degree; it deadens the soul of those who ieH it and those who drink it The liquor traffic is 1 huge financial nit -in >pol) : it buys up the pu ss at electio time, it covers our hoardings with lying propaganda, and licensing people to soil beverage alcohol hi 1 con, >mic hui.u \

The Menace Of The Trade.

Let us mark down the liquor traffic tor what it is a menace to social prov,rts". a traffic fattening and battening on the degradation of the people. The liquor traffic is definitely uneconomic and antisocial, and should stand at the bar of considered public opinion as a criminal, as the enemy of all the! is good and pure in family and national life. May I close with a verse from a poem by the late I liomas Bracken, “The Vilest Fiend of All”? “What are thy crimes.*' Thy counsel' plea is this— I hou rt good, and we should prize heaven’s gifts. But I do view in thee a cruel devil in disguise. Before thee peace and comfort Hv, Replaced by senseless feud and brawl. Near thee truth, love and honour die. Thou art the vilest fiend of all.”