Robbing the Scotch of their Whisky.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 May 1912, Page 4

Robbing the Scotch of their Whisky.

DU A STIC PROPOSALS IN A GOVJiIvN-MKNT 13ILL. The enoriiioiifi consumption o) Scotch whisky in Scotland, and a Bill to reduce the sale of it, with a view to following it with similar legislation for England, came betore the House of Commons lately. The Government brought on the Temperance (Scotland) Hill under the insistent pressure o!" Scottish Liberals, who do not see why Ireland should have all the pielerence in the ui'itter of legislation. The Bill is a strong measure, and contains the following features: Local option: The electors in a locality can reduce or close the public houses in the district; One-tenth is a suflicieiit number to demand a poll. Morning prohibition: No whisky, beer, or wine to be sold before 10 a.m. Clubs: Further restrictions to

be imposed. Mr McKinnon Wood. Secretary for Scotland, moved tiie second reading without undue enthusiasm, in a thin House, mainly Scotch. ("iplain Gilmoiir H".. Hasi" Renfrewshire) moved the rejection of the Bill. HIOTTKP PIMIIJC IfOPSKS. Mr George Barnes (Hoc.. Glasgow, Blackl'riars) hoped there would be put into the Bill a new option : the option to turn public houses into places of recreation to which a man might take his wile and children, lie Staid he was in favour of municipalising the drink trallie. Mr I). T. Holmes (L., Govan). in. a. maiden speech—very Doric—kept the House in a rear. "I don't think that in our time .whisky will he out of date." he sih'd. "When 1 look at the climate amT history of my native country I know my fellow-countrymen will never be sickeningly abstemious or ostontationsly teetotal." Mr J. M. Hodge (L., Edinburgh K. 1 ) declared tliafc "the essential v tsiliio of a bottle of whisky is threepi voce." He deplored tho habits of so many of • $ie -people of his constituency in spe n viiing such a- large portion of their ."Wages on whisky while there are t hc> problems of "housing and overcr 'owning and the wastage of cliild-li Mr J Vrthtir Sherwell CL.. Huddersfield), the gifted scientific temperance ad vocnto', made the sensational JOeech o $ tlie evening in condemning the ] Prohibition clauses of the Bill. "TTnder "tlic* Bill," he said, "it would be possible for 5 per cent, of the popub rtion of anv ward, or 5 per cent, -of the population of a town as a whole, to rule out all facilities frti't ite purchase of liquor for the rem a ini 'njr 95 per cent." "Tq tit is democratic proposal'?" he aked. this a Liberal Bill?" T bare in *>t po learned the Liberal faith. I f "lib is is Liberalism Tam not a Lihe 'rail." The sece -nd" reading was catrietf.