LICENSING IN NORWAY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1954, 26 September 1888, Page 3

LICENSING IN NORWAY

In an Interesting aooouat of a trip to Norway the London corroapondent of the " PrefB 11 (OhrUtohurotO thus refers to the sen^ort of Bergon : — •

They are known aa a festive lot, these same inhabitants of Bergon, though there are absolutely no amußemonts there— no theatre, no music halls, no beer gardens. But thoy chatter m tho streets all summer and dance much during tho long winter, and ara a cheery, and taking then all round, a good-looking raoe Among the mountains the people look more or leas dull and haggard, but the Borgenite is a joyous orealnre. You never nee a drunken man or a beggar m the town.

OorUlniy drink oacue) but little misery (hero, for tho strictness of tho Hoarding laws is ono of the features of tho plaoe, Yoars ago the inhabitants of Bergen were as fond of spirits as the people of most northern nations, but tho Temperance party came strongly to the front, und the following system waa Initiated, and haß boon proved to bo a most beneficial one :— The Bale of spirits was plocsd m the hands of the municipality, who, as oompansation to tho proprietors of gin places and tho holders of pplrlt Hoonßes, pay them ovor the first 5 per cent out of the profits, Tho remainder of tho profits Is expended m works of use and benefit to the inbnbitanls of the town. Thus the hospitals got a largo share of this balance, as do the publio gardens. There Is a beautiful walk In the neighborhood of the town that has boon entirely constructed out of tho monoy so obtained. It is called by some tho "dram walk." But if tho municipality know how to expend In a profitable manner the money obtained by the aalo of spirits, they are In do hurry to get it, I and the laws for supplying drink are most stringent. There are thirteen houses In Bergon where spirits la retail can bo procured, but m moat of the bais there aro no seats whatever. A man en tore, takes his "nip," and has Immediately to dopart. They will not supply him with a seoond one, exoapt on very special occasions. The Urgent of tho public hoanoH la m tho market plcca. In this building there Is alarge room, open froo to workmen, (a which their wives can bring their moals lo be comfortably eaten at lolbcim. But it may be Biid — cannot a man by a peregrination of tho town, obtain 13 " nips," and do, after all, defeat legislation. Nothing of the sort. If an ludividual shows tho slluhtußt eynaptorn of exolternent even nothing will bo nerved to him. Tho least glitter In tho topet'a oyo and the door is cloned upon him. Whole bottles of apirlto you may boy, but if you purchase leBB than a bottle you mu»t pay doable for the contents. Tn ordinary hotels you on obtnin no iplrlts, only beor and wine. The houses whoro spirits are sold are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., oxcept that thoy uro cloned from noon till 1.30 p.ra , when tho workmen aro of! duty for their dinners. Another shock for tho noble army uf llconßod vlc'uaUers 1 'I ha houses &re not open on Sundays. On Fiiturdays they are closed at 5 p.m., nnd the aame happens on every day before a publio holiday. Shock on shock 1 Bat thero (■ no groaning among the Inhabitants of Bjrgon. They manage to live and be jolly under those stringent rules. Grlrao and pauperIsm hare decreased m a inoßt marked manner.