SO-CALLED “DISINTERESTED" MANAGEMENT OF THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43219, 24 August 1907, Page 1

SO-CALLED “DISINTERESTED" MANAGEMENT OF THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

By Re?. G. Armstrong Bennetts J

(Continued from, last issue.) . 1 But who imagines that the j Gothenburg system could be iu- I troduced into this country ? /The f| type of this legislation could not fA be easily harmonised with our general system of government. I Enactments practicable amongst a more patriarchal? people like ij the Scandinavians could not be pieced on to. our. more civilisation. The Gothenburg : i system, as it is, is no great suecess. It only touches the sale | of spirits. It has not been j tested as a complete inetho:l o|;| the control of the whole traffic, if and how it . would work, if so | applied, is a. 'matter of pure£ speculation,, It is, at all events, ! certain that hny:. method of public management Adopted in •; this country would have to be •; on English lilies, and-it is pro*, i bable that those Hues would not | include some of the restrictions -| whicjti constitute the greatest value of tfie . Scandinavian ! system, . ■

THE NEW SCHEME WOULD BECOME \ '.v a g| . . municipalised/'' >‘4s3| Indeed, I cannot how anyone mho has nhy" know* ! ledge of British ; : doubt that legislatiomfor public management -in this 'country J would'mean some:form of .municipalisation, Some of: the - chief.promoters’ of this- policy declaSjl "the m§er¥SS : $2 posed to when they come to reduce theory to practice* F 'feel;;sug§ that:they-will- find the tide iu favour of municipal tTirdCV. ing too strong for them. Indeed,, for this we have the evidence of facts. "What took'place when/! they endeavoured to establish a ■ 'scheme of public management iu . the Channel Islands ? It ; was municipalisation pure aud The Bill which has been drafted’ : by the Scottish Fempf r.ui% Legislation League.provides for - giving to localities un option public management, and sumably this would be adm'ijjj|%g tered bv the existing muuicip||| authorities. There eah be nh :3 doubt that the liquor traffic v under public management would|| take its place side. By side'' until trams, gas, water, stea m - boat aud other municipal cerns which are so; promiHei:£_

just now. The obvious tendentfyff of such an arrangement make the muuicipal 'institution/-, iu its buildings, in its tilde, and in ; its worthy of the municipality, Tke/| outcome of this would uece sarily be the creation of a grec 3§| army of paid officials, according to their capacity J responsibilities, thus • bringing -! into existence a strong force p||l emulation and rivalry-for secur* ,1 ing promotion and for getting;';! the best appointments in the; I - department. Thus, ...while. gpt|3 ting.fid of one kiiid of pjdvatel gain, th'e _ system -duce another. I whatever advantage migft ! secured 'by eliminating :ifem’®§jf private gain in. • which it Vno w l Ktpuld be far out-balanced by | ‘ vate interests of pa|d| I’ officials, by to esgrit de corps/ ,of a great public*'.institution jbl and by the cypidjty; pf public :’ greed, which is as rapa-. cious as private, and:-generally;; far less scrupulous, for it vs§ proverbial, that companies have-; no bowels. \ (To be continued.) ■%