MUST PROHIBITION BE CRUEL? Where It Crushes the Individual.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 127, 6 December 1902, Page 8

MUST PROHIBITION BE CRUEL? Where It Crushes the Individual.

WE see no reason to doubt that prohibition, will produce beneficial results in. Newtown. But, is it 1 t ght that the law -abiding and "w ellmeaamig citizen must be broken amd ruined in order that the community may try the experiment of no-hoense? That is the point. Will any dispassionate person say the case of Mr. Corby, as stated in. the daily press, does not appeal to one's sympathy. We do not know the man, and accept his statement in perfect good faith , seeing that no one has stepped forth to challenge its accuracy What is his grievance? He says that, in January last, has first lease of the Newtown Hotel ran out, and lie renewed it foi ten years, paying £3500 foir the goodwill. Six or seven months ago lie was ottered £6700 for the goodwill, and declined to sell. He lias conducted the house in strict conformity with the law, never having had a black mark recorded against him. And yet the carrying of prohibition at the recent local option poll w ipes out that goodwill — for which Mr. Corby paid £3500 in January and for which he refused £6700 some months ago — just as completely as if it had never existed Put vour&olf, just in fancy, m Mi Corby \s place, think quietly for a moment or two, and say if it does not seem real hard £3500 — perhaps a life-time's toilsome savings — swept out of existence bj a popular vote in favour of a change in the law. Of course, the usual sternhpped moralist, who scoffs at altruistic notions, and whose shibboleth is the accursed der-r-rink," will promptly rise up to remark 'Serve him right. He ought to have known prohibition, was coming. He took the risk, and must now abide by it." » * * Well, the majority of people are not blest with prophetic foresight? And the case certainly does excite one's coin miser'at km But, it is not isolated. It is typical of many others in tLe various districts which have just declared for prohibition The difficulty is to find the remedy. How can the blow be softened to the individual without penalising the community in its efforts to effect reforms p It is a many-sided problem, bristling with difficulties, and sure to produce heated argument and dissentient views But, it ought not to be insoluble.

It certainly ought to receive the bevt attention of Parliament n<?xt session. Tune out of mind the law lias recognised that "the trade" has a vested inteiest by charging stiff license fees. The law also has enabled Licensing Committees to insist upon the erection and expensive furnishing of costly hotels in which to cany on the trade. Are the owners or licensees to receive no consideration in return when they comply with every requirement of the la,w ? Is the decree inexorable that they must continue subject to the dread contingency of being practically ruined bv that most fickle and unstable element — a popular vote ?

If so, then the owner or licensee of a hotel is the least enviable of mortals. The man who would venture his capital iv such a precarious business must be fond of excitement, and like k strongly s/piced. He is in the position of I>amx>oles, with the knowledge that a. sword hangs suspended by a single thread over his devoted head. It is a life of continual anxiety. Poor beggai ! we pity him. Especially, when the time for that trienaual looail option vote is approaching