Candid Comments

White Ribbon, Volume 29, Issue 2, 1 June 1957, Page 5

Candid Comments

By Citizen

Last year, the work of Mr. P. J. Campbell (Pita Karima), who was appointed the first warden in Wellington for the Maori people under the Maori Social, Economic, and Advancement Act, was reported upon in this Column. A total abstainer, and the Wellington leader of the Pioneer I'otal Abstinence Society of the Roman Catholic Church. We regret to say that he was killed recently in an accident, but we hope that other Maoris will take up his work for Temperance for l>oth Maoii and Pakeha

The administrator of Natal, Mr. Shepstone, has stated recently, that 90 000 alcoholics are costing South Africa between £3O million and £SO million a year. Speaking at the recent confererce of the K.Z. Hospital Board's Association, a doctor estimated the number of alcoholics »n N.Z. as between 10,000 and 15,000, and that 10 other people, family, employer, friends, were affected by each alcoholic. The Association called on the Health Department to form and implement a long term policy for the treatment of alcoholics. He suggested that a medical man be sent overseas to study treatment methods. The X.Z. Associated Chambers of Commerce are pressing hard for restaurant drinking. £)f course, extra facilities for sale will create more alcoholics. Consumption in X.Z. is steadily rising for beer and stout and is now at 22 gallons per head, compared with 24A gallons in Australia and 18 gallons in Britain.

Speaking to the 38th Annual mceiing of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Robert Rark said recently that a cheap and ready supply of liquor was a major factor influencing the extent of alcoho’ism and ailments associated with it. The X Z. Hospital Boar its* Association would do better to work ; or prever lion rather than for cure. It should ,?>k the Health Department to advertise the henefi s of total abstinence and ask for the prohibition of the large liquor advertisements sponsored by the Brewers’ Association, inviting peonle to drink beer on ALL occasions. It is good to report that the X.Z Associated Churches of Christ at their conference, made a strong plea against liquor in restaurants and evening hours of sale. XOW is the time for prayer and work against this agent of the Evil one. May all our Churches he right on the job