LIQUOR PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 7

LIQUOR PROBLEM.

IMPORTANT REPORT.

LICENSING LAWS COMPARED.

VICTORLIN AND NEW ZEALAND SYSTEMS. (DT TELEOEArn—PBESS : ASSOCIATION'—COPntIOHT.) (Roc. February 10, 6.30 p.m.) Perth, February 10. Mr. Carson's report on tho licensing legislation of Victoria, New South Wales, ; and New Zoaland, which haß been presentod t to Parliament, says:— Tho Victorian system, though bnrcaucratic in form, has proved an admirable working, machine, closing up tho worst houses. These have to go from the districts where the licensed .'houses aro thickest; whilo under-tho New South Wales system of local • option Reduction is carried in districts whore there aro so few publicliouses that one more or less.hardly affects the temperance or intemperance of the community.

As .regards. New Zealand, Mr./ Carson acknowledges tho rapid'stride's made.by. the No-License movement, and admits tho prospect of the' licensed trade being..wiped! Tout-, altogether at no , : very.. i distant..data.';; He 'Claims, however, that the system is still on. trial.;' Hitherto; the experiment hasVbeen confined to 'comparativelysmall towns,/and hot: until'one,of'.thefour;.'complete" metres politan. areas,, with, all.its suburbs, comes under . No^Liconse;: can ; the i experiment .be regarded as having been /thoroughly' tested/ -He admits.-that in /.the No-License; towns there is less open drunkenness, and that the removal of /open means of temptation:, has tended to wean some men from the old'habit.' On the other hand, the evidence,.he.say's,'is' conclusive that the '. aggregate :quantity /of liquor; consumed/is : .practically ;■/. unaffected;'. that: much; drinking ' still goes- on /in NoLicense districts; "that the.closed bar; has taken the place of the open bar; that there is. more secret drinking, and more drinking- in 1 the houses; of the people; - .that whore /a License district is contiguous to a No-License •district much drinking precipitates from; the latter, into the former; that.the strength.- of ■ :the .No-License vote; is accounted for by the enthusiasm and splendid organisation of the temperanoe/party's arid the woman's '.vote, : influenced ■'. by .'woman's, natural. interest in sopial reforms.-.:. ';-.-.-'''-;■■; -.'. '"^ :; ; -It, is pointed out; that tho; concrete; result; i of the .New. Zealand; system com-: pare favourably .with.that of/Victoria.^//'-'/: /'After three -years'. .strenuous .- No-License about,lso ; houses' will be; closed throughout the' Dominion) .and, not the worst. ;h6uses' at; that. '/More has, been -done :; in Vibtoria.; -in .eighteen /months,/.: with, this supreme ■ advantage;that/the/worst houses' were; closed, -while Reduction has proceeded ,'steadily.by a : judicial,process. -•/'./;'.- .>,-• Mr-'--.Carsbh -is sub-editor ; of ! ; the/" West' Australian Star"; (Perth). '.'He'visited the Dominion recently, for the purpose of studying; the : licensing; laws./ '•'■ •-.'-'.; /••'-.'-,■ }\ .-; ;>