ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. THE GOTHENBURG SYSTEM.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8163, 18 April 1895, Page 1

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. THE GOTHENBURG SYSTEM.

TO THE KDITOU. Sin, — Upon taking up tho British Weekly of January iJid, 1895, I waa so much struck with thu following remarks that I thought I could not do better than forward them for publication in your columns if spaco will permit.— l am, etc, LIHUIITAh.

" Tho Times has published thrco letters on tho Gothenburg system from a correspondent who has made special enquiries on tho spot. His lettors are clear, careful, and impartial. Wo hope they will be put into a permanent form. Tho writer points out that tho Gothenburg system applies only to spirits. Thoro are 74 establishments in which spirits are Bold, but thoro are, in addition, tlio onormous number of 780 places where beer and wino aro sold. In sovon c f the houses controlled by tho municipality cheap spirits are sold freely to all who can pay ready money. Tho cost is only 8d per pint, and bottles containing rather loss than two pints aro bought ly laboring men and womon on Saturday. Thoro m no restriction whatever in. tho trade in bottled beer. Tho system has done bomo good in reducing tho sale of spirits in Gothenburg by about one-lnlf, but it lms not diminished drunkenness. The amount of this is practically stationary, only tho drunkenness of Gothenburg is now boor drunkenness, which is said to bo lo«s injurious phybicrtlly tlmn spirit drunkenness. Is this to be tho watchword of tho now temperance ciusade — boer drunken* ness vice spirit drunkenness ? If so, wo think tho war cry will not bo very inspiriting, and that those romaikablo persons who are in favor of prohibition and tho Gothenbu q system will begin to suspect that there is a screw loose somewhere."