The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1906. LICENSED VICTUALLERS REFORM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3733, 18 December 1906, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1906. LICENSED VICTUALLERS REFORM.

When the Psalmist wrote “ there is none that doeth good, no not one,” he couldn’t have meant the Licensed Victuallers of New Zealand. The conference of that body intends shortly to bring the offending publican up with a round turn. It was pretty generally thought until the Licensed Victuallers said there were some bad publicans that that particular brand of hotelkeeper had died out. We are glad that the few who are left are going to be sat on by their mates of the Association, and that the Association are sincere in a desire to purge the trade of any impurities that may be left over from the last sweeping up. You may depend upon it that the licensees themselves have had very little to do with the matter at all. How should they ? They are merely agents for their brewers and it is impossible at present that they should be anything else. The brewers see a possible diminution in trade if the hotels they allow liceusees to hold are not conducted properly and it is therefore most, gratifying that they have given the Licensed Victuallers’ Assocatiion orders to look into the matter of law-breaking publicans. The interests of the brewers of New Zealand are so great and far reaching that everything possible must be done to conserve them. Incidentally the good straight publicans will get a better chance, which is at least a comfort. It is always a pity that any trade should be a discredit because a few who are engaged in it are discreditable. There are many evidences that the retail liquor business is being carried on in New Zealand at the present time in a more cleanly way than ever before and the men responsible deserve the credit. The fact that this is so may of course be verified by the good reports of Licensing Benches which have a greater proportion ot ‘ anti-trade members than before. To still further improve licensing matters is a commendable thing in a Licensed Victuallers’ Association,

especially as such improvements are in tlje nature, of self-preserva-tion of licensed victuallers and the public generally.