Candid Comments

White Ribbon, Volume 29, Issue 3, 1 August 1957, Page 5

Candid Comments

By Citizen

A class in French cooking was started recently at Hutt Valley Memorial College. A newspaper reported that “after aperitits at roon in the office of the Principal, the dinner proceeded leisurely and gracefully till the liqueurs were reached at half-past two. A picture of Montmartre, a map of the Bordeaux wine-growing district, and red candles on the table helped to supply the atmosphere, while waiters in even.ng dress circulated with the first of a succession of wines." It was disconcerting to find that among those present were the Minister of Kducation, the Director of Education, the heads of Adult Education, and Mr A. St. C Oliver, I’resident of the Food and Wine Society. Parents of scholars should protest against such functions, which create a poor example to youth, otherwise this may be the first of many. We din not think much of the advice given at the dinner by the Minister ot France, who said: “Before you start, take two or three eggs raw, and ther you will be able to drink any amount of alcohol “

The Minister of France would have done better to have told the guesis something of the results of the French drinking their own wines. These are some of the pertinent facts: Alcoholic cirrhosis has more than doubled in the past 25 years in France. A total of 5977 French men and women died from alcoholism in 1956. A fighting fund of £200,000 has been given by the French Government to teach teenagers the dangers of drinking. It is to he administered hv a committee whose job is to solve the problem *>f France s 200, (MX) teenage alcoholics. Parents aie to be told that it is dangerous to give their children a daily pint of wine. The committee has distributed 5 million blotters to schools, illustrating the lives of exemplary men who were sober.

We have beer told that Australia’s drink bill has reached a new record level, and that of £2 spent on food and drink each week, 10s. Od. of it goes on strong drinx. An A.A. spokesman has said that thousands are dying of alcoholism in Australia. A foundation for the research and treatment of alcoholics has been formed in Sydney, and will treat alcoholism as a specific disease. Still more practical sensible is t ie formation of a temperance movement for teenagers which was launched in Sydney in May. It is known as the Junior Australian Temperance Alliance with Mr F.rnest Steed as Secretary, who stated that some teenagers are spending £l/10/- to £2 per • eek on drink. * * *

While Australians drink about 24i gallons *• r ' capita of beer and stout. New Zealanders have steadily (or unsteadily!) increased their total to 22 gallon* a head—an increase of about 100 per cent, ove* the last 20 years. The result—an increase in alcoholism, bringing about more crime, death, accident, and broken homes. Liquor interests here aim at evening hours of sale, restaurant drinking, barmaids, and grocery sales. R**d*r«t R* on your guard Againut insidious propaganda. Make your protest to M.P.’s and newspapers. The employment of barmaid* was investigated some years ago hv a British Parliamentary Joint Committee, which reported that 75 per cent, proved to he intemperate.

\dvertisemems asked for stylish, young, attractive ladies. Mr If. W. Milner, Secretary of the N.Z. \lliance, lias said that to introduce barmaids into New Zealand again would be putting the clock hack 200 years. To prevent Maori girls from being so employed would introduce race discrimination. If the Trade cannot streamline their bar conditions without sacrificing girls, they should go out of business.

Meantime, Sir W illiam Perry, Chairman of N.Z. Breweries, says, “This year we hope that the vote against Prohibition will he stronger than ever, and that Parliament will accept it as a mandate to abolish the triennial poll by legislation” His firm is concerned with profits only.

The Chief Commissioner of Delhi, in the meantime, has banned all advertisements for whisky and other intoxicating liquor and drugs. Although complete prohibition has been introduced into several Indian states, Delhi itself is not yet "dry”. It has, however, two dry days a week. Public drinking in hotels and bars is already banned, and people may only drink in the privacy of their own homes and clubs. The President of India is one of 24 Kings and Heads of Governments who have agreed to ban all alcoholic beverages at social and State functions. The list includes the Kings of Sweden and Saudi Arabia, the htnperor of Japan, the Presidents of Indn and the Philippines, and the Prime Ministers of Holland, India, and Lev lon

A pamphlet on Alcoholism has been issued by the National Executive of the N.Z. Federation of Labour. The Federation asks for Alcoholism to be recognised as a disease for financial support of the National Society, hut not a word about Total Abstinence as a means of prevention. This must go hand in hand with efforts to assist the alcoholic. While the Federation is to he commended for its efforts, they could do more by facing real facts.