NO-LICENSE IN MASTERTON

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2572, 21 September 1915, Page 6

NO-LICENSE IN MASTERTON

COMMENT BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE. At the opening of the Supremo Court at Masterton yesterday,, before the Chief Justice (Sir Bobort Stout), His Honour in addressing the Grand Jury said:—"lt is three years since I visited Masterton, and presided at the sittings of the. Circuit Court in your town. I am glad, to be able to congratulate you 011 the progress I notice in vour town since, my last visit. Your buildings, your , streets, your roads have all been improved. Your shops • are second to none of any town of the sizo or population of Masterton, and tho cleanliness of your town is an example to larger towns. Your people seem prosperous, and comparing your streets on Saturday .night with. what I have seen years ago in Masterton, . a vast improvement in is manifest. I have .learned from the Press the great part you have played in furnishing both men and money for tho defenco of our Empire in this the greatest crisis perhaps in English history. You have nobly done your duty, and looking at your social state, your well-being is great. "What, however, greatly concerns a Judge who has to deal with crime and criminals is how does your criminal record stand? And I can heartily congratulate you on the diminution of crime, especially in the electoral district of Masterton. In 1908 you resolved to make an experiment by abolishing what in America is called 'the open saloon, 5 and I take the figures for that year. In 1908 the number of offences of all kinds reported, including many petty'offences,-was 512. In 1914 the number had fallen to 151, a decrease, as you will see, of 361, being a percentage decrease of 70 per cent. To compare tho figures in another way, the number of offences in 1908 was 239 per cent, higher than in 1914. "In tho case of convictions, tho same result is shown. There iioro in 1908 - 461 summary convictions, that is, convictions for petty offences or breaches of our laws, including by-laws. _In 1914 there were only 96. One pleasing featuro of tho figures is that while in 1908 20 women were convictcd, 11 cr the convictions being for drunkviiuess, in 1914 only four were convicted, and of these four only one was for drunkenness. . ' "The figures are.similar in,the case of serious off slices. In ,1908 40 persons were : sent to the Supreme Court for trial, and 25 werj convicted. In 1914 there wero only 11, 8 of these being convicted. This shows a- great change. So far as tho convictions for drunkenness are concerned, tho decrease is marked. -In 1903 tho convictions for drunkenness were 302; m. 1914 only 49; and Tarn informed by the police that two-thirds of those convicted came from places outside your electoral districts. I find also that there are fewer civil cases ill your Magistrate's Court and'debts are more easily, collected." . •