THE DRINK PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 942, 8 October 1910, Page 4

THE DRINK PROBLEM.

STATISTICS AND COMMENTS. Referring in the Houeo of Representatives yesterday to the return pre- " sented to Parliament giving gome interesting liquor statistics (published in The Dominion on Thursday). Mr. Poole (Auckland West) spoke of the very satisfactory nature of the returns from a No-License point of view, ', It should be an incentive to more re-' strictive legislation. > Mr. Myers (Auckland East) said they must not be carried away by statistics without very carefully considering them. He quoted figures to show that the amount spent on liquor had been increasing gradually in spite of Np« license. Mr. Poole: In licensed districts. Mr. Fisher (Wellington Central) asked, if the amount spent on\ liquor as shown by Mr. Myers was steadily .increasing since No-License started, why then did the liquor trade bother to so strenuously oppose No-L;conse? Sir Joseph tyard moved that the return bo laid on the table of the HouseMr. Malcolm (Clutha) quoted from a return presented to Parliament, on the, motion of Mr. Ell, to show that Nopicense had resulted in a decreased consumption of liquor, and a reduced amount of crime jn tie Clutha district, , , Mr. Anderson (Mataura) quoted similar figures in regard to Mataura._ The figures, ho said, were a clear evidence that the libel put upon No-License districts was not tree. ' • , ' far. T. E. Taylor (Christchurch Noith)- sajd the 'figures- showed a per ■»-. - capita "consumption of two galjons in "",:- No-License districts and twelve gallons , per head jn licensed districts. Another significant figura was that Invercargill v (No-License), with 12,000 people, - - had - i onlv 5000 offences recorded, whereas in Gisborno (license), with less than half ' the population, there were' no fewer than 5000 offences. ' . Mr. Jennings referred to the _ Ton- > marunui district,, which was No-Liconße. not by choice of the people. He would , like to know how much liquor had been *, sent into that district: He pointed out ' also that many people in No-License . districts went into licensed districts and , drank liquor there. '