THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3137, 16 July 1917, Page 6

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Sir,—Restriction of the liquor traffic must be a burning question with the Government during tho present session. Ihe country has been fairly roused, and it tho petition for C o'clock closing is refused, agitators will know the reason why. It is unnecessary to occupy your spa'co with argument for severe curtailment. The economic reason is sufficient alone. Some economists state that we are

faced with a world famine, and our own Government is constantly preaching the urgent necessity for the most strict economy by all classes of the community. To some extent they are endeavouring to practise what they preach by curtailing a few of the privileges hitherto enjoyed by the public, but let hem see that they act consistently. Without going into figures, 1 make bold to say that the waste of food products and labour over the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor is far larger than all other classes of avoidable waste in the country, and in view of ths fact that the consumption of tho bulk of it tends to national inefficiency, is at the present time simply criminal. For the Government to restrict the railway service, telling, people to learn to economise by stopping at home, instead of needlessly running about the country, and then let the drink traffic go on as at present ia simply "watching the spigot and letting the tap run." By. refusing to face and deal vigorously with this question, not onlv will the Government lay itself open to the charge of inconsistency, but to tho more serious charge of being moro concerned about the safety of vested intPrests than tho safety of the Lmpyrc. Sir James Allen has stated that the Ministry are divided over tho question of 6 o'clock closing, and so too aro our MP's Those who oppose will no doubt admittedly there is force in their argument—that there are worse evils than tho licensed bar open at night, viz., the unlicensed bar. No doubt 6 o'clock closing will do some good, and prevent much hotel drinking, which is worse thiui waste. Better have tin's measure of reform than nothing, but it is not going fnv enough. To stop hero is simply closing tho front door and leaving the back door open. Liquor can be purchased in any quantity during the day, and reserved for immoderate use, often for sale on the sly. Can the back door be closed as well as the front? Certainly. an d both should be closed at the same time, though it would involve the creation of a new Government Department, to bo placed under the direction of wise and reliable officials. If tho Government would face this matter in a determined manner, they could settle it satisfactorily in one act. granting as full a measure of State control as is desirable, and thai without having to become purchasers and possessors of tho whole business, as appears to be contemplated in tho Old Country, or infringing the liberty of the subject. During the Maori war, how did the Government of ■ that day deal with tie question ot the

sale of ammunition for gun or rifle? Bf. enacting that no one could buy without; a. permit. Full provision was jnado throughout the country for the issua of permits. .No reasonable request wail refused, but on the other hand permit* ■ wore not granted to suspicious characters, nor to anyone for unreasonably large Quantities. Let the Government now; deal with tho liquor question in precisely the same way, in addition to granting (i o'clock closing. Let it be enacted that while the licensed brewer or merchant may sell to the licensed retailer or hotelkeeper without any permit, neither brewer, merchant, nor hotelkeeper may sell even the smallest quantities to any other person for removal from their premises for consumption elsewhere, unless the purchaser produces a Government permit stating ilie amount, ho may buy and take away. The Government would have to provide the necessary machinery , for tho issue of permits, under the direction of suitable officials, at whose discretion any applications for permits considered undesirable in regard to quantity or otherwise could be refused. Ihia would soon be the death-blow to tho sly trade, the consumption of liquor would be very largely curtailed, and the worst evils of the traffic as at. present earned,, on would disappear. People would bs \ able to satisfy tbeir reasonable require.meiits, but nothing more. ' The attitude assumed by the New Zealand Alliance in the event of refusal by the Government of 6 o'clock closing i 3 regrettable, acj their threat to then sweep away' the whole traffic before June 30, 1918, will only be regarded as 60 much; "hot air." Far better that they should respectfully petition Parliament to close both doors at once in the way indicatedThis further measure of reform should have been incorporated in the petition for (i o'clock closing. It is not too late now. . It may bo objected that this scheme i* impracticable on the ground of the heavy work that would be required to carry on. the Department, and the difficulty in. |. which o~fficials might at times be involved! to decide whether or not a permit ehouli be granted. Doubtless there would be some difficulty, especially at the outset, but not insuperable, and not so -great as tt the Government took the business entirely into its own hands. A few mistakes might be made, but the officials to whom, t'he responsibility of issuing permits would be entrusted would soon learn to profit by such mistakes, and doubtless after a'while the Department could be carried on with comparative case. Oihcials would understand that while they were not called on to interfere with the reasonable use of alcoholic liquor by reliable people it was their duty to severely, repress anything in tho way of its abuse, and they would refuse a permit to any applicant who could not satisfy them that it was for his own private and moderate use. Difficulty in carrying on such .» Department is no proof that the permits scheme is not the easiest and best way of dealing with the very serious question or curtailment. Wβ have reached a time when the appalling waste will have to be stopped, and it is useless for the w>\ernment to shut their eyes to the tact that they must take defiuite and speedy action. The permit scheme is at any Tata worth their consideration, and wortn * trial.-I am, etc., Blenheim, July 9, 1917.