THE LIQUOR ISSUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3170, 22 August 1917, Page 7

THE LIQUOR ISSUE

EFFECTS OF NO-LICENSE . DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE A return was laid on tho table of the Housb ol Representatives yesterday afternoon showing the quantity of liquor stilt into each No-licenso district during the year ended -March 31, 19,15. Tim figures are as follow :— Gallons. Ashburton 27,34!) Bruce 22,783 Clutba 23,821 Eden ... 10,028 Grey Lynn ; 4,451 Invercargill. 75,294 Mastorton Mataura 31,802 Oamaru 30)215 Ohinemuri 21,307 Wellington South 11.250 Wellington Suburbs and country districts 11,158 Total 296,009 The number of persons summarily convicted in Magistrate's Courts in Nolicense district during tho year ended December 31, 1915, is as follows, coii--1 viclions for drunkenness being given in purcn theses:— Ohinemuri 271 (40) Masterton 297 (Gt>) .. Ashburton 490 (113) , Oainaru 290 (50) Bruce 205 (13) Clutha 17,J, (16) Mataura 233 (23) Invercargill 72S (151) s -.-v Totate 2C ' JI \«9) No-License Not a Calamity. . Mr. L. it. Isitt, speaking on rne presentation of tho return, 6aid ho would like to tako advantage of the opportunity co tell tho House and the country some facts about No-license districts. A Brent deal of nonsense was talked about the danger to the community of closing the liquor bars—rthe nameless, mysterious ovils that would come upon the people. Iho fact about Masterton,..a No-licmse district, was that it was progressing in a remarkable way, and there wa's nothing jto support tho statements so promiscuously made that when a place went dry it was beset by poverty and many other ov)ls. ; Ho wont on to read a comparative list of the convictions fp? drunkenness in several districts; license and NoLicense. His figures summarised to this— that in eight No-license district, with a population of 101,248, there ivt-ro 348 convictions for drunkenness, while in Palmerston North, a license district with a population of 16,135, the£» were 108 convictions—more than in all the NoLicense districts put together. Replying to Mr. Wilford, he. said that he knew . moro liquor was bein» consumed in New Zealand than before the day of No-licensp, but it was being consumed in the licenso districts. Less was being drunk in No-license districts, find vrhilo this was so he would declare eion for the sly-grog selling that was supposed to exist in No-license districts. He was anxious only to prevent the harm dono by the consumption of liquor. Masterton and Carterton. , Mr. j. piiyno said he knew that tho M.astorton people went. to Carterton for ! their drink, and there was u ''.onstant Stream of motor-cars from the one place to the other day and night. Masterton people if they got drunk did so in Carterton, and in consequence swelled up Carterton's figures. If this were a criterion of other districts it proved that Mr. Isitt's figures were misleading, Tno Prohibitionists had put such a sfiacklo upon public opinion in tho country that no man in business or public life dared sign his nanio to a letter in the public Press opposing tho Prohibitionists. Mr. Payne contended that there was no industry in the country suffering through the drink traffic. Wo could not, in fact, get all our produce away, therefore the olaim that six o'clock closing 'would lead to increased efficiency fell to the ground. Mr. C. H. Poole contended that ten thousand convictions' for drunkenness was too high a price to pay compared with the efficiency,'of the country. Mr. G. R. Sykea admitted that when first Masterton became "dry" and the people vcro unaccustomed altogether Id go'without,liquor they took, the opportunity of visiting Carterton upon occasions, but any unbiased, observer would admit now that the stream of nlotowsars referred to had reached tho vanishing point. When No-license wits, carried in Masterton tho town's ruin was-predicted. What was tho position to-day? The town was cleared of the- drunken loafer and women were ablo to walk about without fear, whilst from a commercial point of view thero was not a sounder town in. New Zealand to-day. Tip population had so increased that there were not sufficient houses to accommodate it all. He admitted that from a tourist s point of view tho hotel' accommodation was not as srood as tourists might expect, but it was quite good enough from tho ordinary po?nt q of view. Mr. Sykes mention«l Masterton's efforts m connection with tno W Mr. Wilford: It is the wonder oE New added that tlio introduction of No-license had been a God-tend r jT'T. M. Hornsby admitted that when No-license was carried in Masterton there was a big traffic between that town and Carterton. Afterwards' there was introduced what was known as ttie "dropper" system.. This in time, however, became quite a negligible business. It was untrue to say that there was tow a stream of motor-cars between Masteiton and Carterton. The alteration of the. train arrangements had also led to a oecreaso in tho traffic between the two places for drinking purposes. With the advent of tho motor-car people did not require hotel accommodation, in fasterton to the samo extent that used to. It was stated, however, that tne hotel accommodation vyis quite good, thcugh not so good' as if the hotols held licenses. Ho denied that Carterton was Iming debited with Masterton cases of drunkenness. In Masterton one could go I'or weeks without seeing a drunken n'an one never saw a drunken woman. Prior to the advent ot No-licenso that could not be said. The Dorcas Society, which had been formed for the purpose of ministering to the needy, had since tho advont of No-licenso gone out of exietenco altogether—its services were not reeded. He did not think it fair to describe Carterton as a. "boosing den" —its hotels were very well conducted. If tho orderliness of Masterton was the result of Nolicenso ho. would'like to see other towns follow; its example. It was all i:'oonsiiiue ami rubbish to allego that Yuisterton had never recovered from tho staggering effects -of No-license. It was the of the brightest and niost go-ahead little towns in Sew Zealand.

About "Convictions." Mr. T. M. Wilford pointed out that tho convictions for drunkenness in a city necessarily ineant that that number ot persons bad been convicted. Furthermore, if there woro an old experienced policeman in Maatci-lun and a .young inexperienced one in Carterton it might explain a great deal, because tho young pi liceman would bo looking for glory and promotion, and tho number o£ persons he would lock u)> tho first threo years would bo extraordinary. After that tho list would greatly decrease. Alasterton was unquestionably ono of tho extraordinary towns in Now Zealand so far as patriotic giving was concerned. Ho had known of no to\m in the world with Masterton s population which had given so much money and they kept on giving. There seemed to be no limit to their generosity. Everything about Jlasterton was good exCopt "tho private hotels. Mr. Wilford declared that ho was a State control man. If he had tho chance ho would tako tho whole tiling in ono sweep, leaving the question of componsation to bo decided afterwards.

Mr. G. J. Anderson claimed that tho carrying of No-licence in a district did not affect tlio future of a. locality at all. "Whereas, drink could not make a town, tho cii.rr.yiug of No-licence probably benefited it to a certain extent. Mr. .H. jrCiillum claimed that tho return possessed no value whatever froiu a comparative point of view. Mr. J. M'Combs said No-licence did not prohibit, but lie claimcd that it.con-

sidembly reduced the consumption of liquor. Moreover, the consumption ot ■liquor in No-licence areas was a diminishing quantity. It was absurd to say that No-licence had proved ineffective because it had not cured the evils of drunkenness in licenced areas. If it reduccd the consumption of liquor in areas in which it was in force it was proving effective. No-licence was not prohibition. Mr. I!. A.-Wright said the number of first offenders charged with drunkenness was startling, showing that there was rjnito a number of young men in NewZealand beginning a drinking career. He would never have any objection to a man having a glass of liquor if he kept to that, but owing to so many people having been borne down by strong drink'he contended that it was the duty of tho strong man who merely drank a glass or two of liquor to support his weaker brother. He claimed that the adoption of No-licence in' Masterton was a contributing factor to the prosperity of its people and their patriotism. It was not contended that No-liccnco meant no liquor, but it was claimed that it greatly restricted drinking. Upon tho motion of tho Minister it waa resolved that tho return bo printed.