Licensing and Drinking.

Patea Mail, 28 March 1882, Page 3

Licensing and Drinking.

Continuing his discourse on the above subject jNopmanby “correspondentsays:

We me a drinking people; the fact is undeniable.? The. habit has followed us; all and suffered no deflection by expatriation. We all pretend of course that it is business and so forth, or we should never dream of giving way to the indulgence. Oh dear no; of course not ! but it is sufficient for the present purpose that the custom not only exists, but is likely to do so for a long time to come, and we want to make a good bargin with the. publican, or at any rate to compel him to make one with'iif. individuals should not j he permitted to~ monopolize the trade and do just as they like. Every fairly respectable house should be licensed. More will not apply than are wanted. If they are not wanted they will discover it soon enough and betake themselves to some other trade.

Extended licensing means extended accommodation, and it is absurd to imagine that more will not be wanted before the end of three years: By that time the whole face of the country will be changed, and a population probably double that of the present settled, here and around us.., It also signifies increased : civility, and though there is little here at present to be complained of bn that score, we all know by experience that engrossment of the .trade by one or two persons, engenders a surly disregard ’ for the wants of customers, and 'a sour and lofty demeanour towards them;

It being admitted that there exists a craving for intoxicating stimulants which may long be. perpetuated, it is surely desirable that these stimulants, as the less of tW6 evils, should be the best of their kind. \Ve ask our abstaining bnt really philanthropic friends whether restriction on licensing would 1 effect that object ? Is- it not notorious that abridged and prohibitory licensing procures 1 os the vending of all the liquid abominations of the. earth. If we cannot suppress the sale of intoxicating drinks, and the prevailing and popular infatuation for their use, then as the next best thing, let these drinks be the purest of their kind, and extended licensing will materially aid in that purification. By its means we shall have a greaterabsence of that drugged monstrosity, by which so many victims deprived of their reason, quit the painted portals of the gin palace, only to J open their eyes in prison, or be 1 percipitatetf into the common sewer.