STATE CONTROL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 42, 10 July 1914, Page 4

STATE CONTROL.

Tin- deputation tliat waited on the Prime Minister 011 Monday to advocate the claims of the great Moderate Party for a voice in the settlement of tlie liquor question was moderate in name only. To all intents and purposes it was simply an advocate of the claims of tlie Liquor Party. A Moderate delegation would have "put forward some moderate planks, sudlb, for instance, us tlie inclusion of State control in tlie issue at tlie poll. It remained silent on this and other reforms. As tlie Christchurcli Star points out, and as we have pointed out on previous occasions, a very large number of people. u J lio vote no-license do so as a protest against tin insufferable conditions attaching to the sale of liquor in this country. They do so because under existing auspices many of the so-called .hotels are mere drinking shops and the sale of liquor a sneaking and surreptitious thing. If intoxicants were sold in open bars, by officials in State uniform, three tilings would bo accomplished, continues our contemporary. Firstly, a check would be put on drinking; secondly, a stop wijtei put to adulteration, a potent sotpM of trouble; and, thirdly, the absence b'f private bars and snuggeries would do away with the scandal attaching to the ilriiiikeuncns of women. Another reform which the State would naturally institute would be the brewing of lighter intoxicants than are at pre ent placed on the market. Tlie "moderutes" who waited upon Mr. Massey would, if flhcy had been really desirous of doing away with the most offensive aspect of the liquor question, ihave. advocated, as we say, State control and the open bar

as one sees it everywhere but in Eng-lish-.speaking countries. In France, Germany, Austvia, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and other European States people enjoy their alcoholic refreshments in open restaurants. Jn New Zealand, if a man wants a drink, he speaks in a whisper and tip-toes into a walled-m bar or a dive as though conscious of some offence. The thing is ridiculous! -If liquor is, as its advocates say it is, harmless in moderation, and capable of making glad the heart of man, let it be used openly and in the full light of day. The evidence of statistics is that there is a large preponderance of people in New Zealand who have no use for the liquor trade as it exists. Nothing is being done by those concerned with the liquor trade to alter that point of view. Nothing can be done under the peculiar circumstances. The Prohibitionists are so strong and so influential politically that the tendency is to reduce the number of hotels. Yet the population increases and the liquor consumption goes up. The Prohibitionists themselves have created a monopoly, and this monopoly disburses a portion of its immense profits to fight the Prohibitionists. Every political issue is overridden by this internecine war. There is only one way out of the trouble, and that is for i the State to step in and assume the control itself. It cannot do this without a mandate from the people. The only way in which a mandate from the .people can be obtained is to submit a (third issue in connection with the triennial referendum. That issue is "Are you or are you not in favor of State ■control!"