THE WORKING OF NO-LICENSE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 15, 11 February 1909, Page 2

THE WORKING OF NO-LICENSE

WESTRALIAN i'A H LIAMEXTAIIY REPORT. AUSTRALASIAN SYSTEMS COMPARED.

Received 10, I>.3U )>.m. I Perth, February 10, I iUi\ Carson's report on the licensing I legislation of Victoria, Xesv .South [ Wale.-; ami New Zealand, which was pri--1 flouted to 'J'aiiiainent, says that tlr; Victorian system, though bureaucratic in form, lias proved an admirable working machine, dosing up tile worst houses. These have to go from districts i where licensi'd houses are thickest [ while under the New South Wales sys

I'jin of local option reduction is earned i districts whore there are so few jmV vMiouses that oae more or less hard'y aU'ei.ts tin 1 temperanei> or intemperance of •he community. As regards New Zealand, Mr. Carson acknowledges tin rapid strides made Jiy the no-lieense imn< incut, and admits The prospect of li.cnsod trade -being wiped out altot'etuev at no very distant dale, •laiuis,. however, thai the system is still jn its trial. Hitherto the experiment

Ills been confined to comparative!; ■ mall towns, ami tluit not until one o the loui' complete metropolitan areaivitli iU suburbs, comes umler lio-licensi •an the experiment be regarded as hav nj/ uee-.i thoroughly tested, lie admit that in till) no-license towns there i ess open drunkenness, and that the n noval of the open means of temptati.v .ended to wean some men from the ol labit. Oil the other hand, the evidence le says, is conclusive that tlie aggregat pianiity of liquor consumed is pmcti •ally unallected; that much drinkiu itilf goes 011 in no-license districts; tha lie closed bar has taken the place o he open Tiar; that there is more aecre IriuUing and more drinking in houses o ,h'j people; that where a licensed dilii't, is colli iguous to a no-license db rict much drinking precipitates fron he latter into the former; that th trength of the no-license vote is ut minted for by the enthusiastic an plendid organisation of the temperanc larty's woman's vote influenced by nati al social reforms. It is pointed on hat the concrete, results of the Xe\ •rah'ml system do not .compare favoi bly with' Victoria. After three year, trenuous 110-liernse campaign, abon 50 houses will be closed" thioughoii he Dominion, and l not the worst hous(' t that. More has been done in Victori: • 18 months, with this supreme advan irte, that, the worst houses have been ; .o=ed. while reduction has proceeded \>udily bv judicial process.