The The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1892. THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2401, 20 September 1892, Page 2

The The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1892. THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

In discussing the temperance question some months ago we suggested a new scheme of dealing with the liquor traffic. It was that one-third of the public houses should be shut up every three years, that the license fees of the remaining houses should be increased, that the sura obtained from the increase in the license fees should be devoted to providing compensation for cancelled licenses.and that such houses as were considered necessary for public convenience should be taken over and managed by the state. Our suggestion met with wide-spread approval, but the temperance party would not hear of it. Complete prohibition is all they would look at. Our scheme, they said was the Gothenburg system, and no good. ' We asked many of them to explain the Gottenburg system but they could not, and we have been left in the dark regarding it ever since. It is, however, described in the last number of the Review of Reviews, and we find that it is not a state institution at all. It is a benevolent instiution in which people combine together, and work the trade without profit. There is not benevolence enough in New Zealand to buy a single public house, so we need never expect the introduction of the Gothenburg system into our midst. The Society is called the “ Gothenburg Liquor Sale Company,” and its mode of conducting business is given as follows ; The seller can make no profit on wine or spirits, which are obtained from the society and sold at cost price. Tea, coffee, chocolate, hrrnccd and varhonic acid her or agon (N.B. —Beer is regarded as a temperance drink), as well as cooked food, both hot and cold, to be on sale in every such house. The lessee sells these on his own account, and can make his profit on them. No strong drink to be sold to persons under eighteen or already intoxicated. All wines and spirits to be paid for in ready money. All goods sold on behalf of the society to be delivered to customers in exactly the same state as they are received— i.c., pure and unadulterated. jNo musical entertainments to take place in the house without special arrangement the directors, and no strangers ”^A I 'tariff' b “ ■•“*« "I 1 ,n a place. Tho bndlorj has power to elect any customer who makes a disturbance or is gttilty of a breach of the P£ The profits have been handed over by the society for “purposes pf public utility,”—of which an interesting table is rriven Educational institutions, school buildings, libraries, technical schools, etc., have removed by far the greater part.

That is the Gothenburg system, and though it had to work against fearfu odds in the beginning it is now successful, and doing an infinite amount of good throughout Sweden. We find, however, that we are not alone suggesting State control of the liquor traffic. Dr Jayne, Bishop of Chester England, in the London Times of August 2nd last, says : “ The State through its local authoriti 68 and instu mentalities, must with a firm an liberal hand undertake the provision of houses of refreshment for the people m which alcoholic beverages, though frankly recognised, will be deposed from their aggressive supremacy and supplied under less seductive conditions. These conditions would for example, be com! ortible, spacious, well ventilated accommodation; temperance drinks of every kind brought well to the front, invested with prestige and supplied in the most convenient, attractive, and inexpensive way; the pecuniary interest of the managers (e.g., in the lorm ot bonus) made to depend entirely on the sale of eatable and non-alcoholic beverages ; alcoholic liquors secured against adulteration ; newspapers indoor games, and, where practicable, outdoor games and music, provided ; while the mere drink shop, the gin palace, and “ the bar —that pernicious incentive to drinking for drinking)) sake—would be utterly abolished.” We do not doubt but eventually something like this Avill be done. It would be better than prohibition, for there would be less danger of sly-grog-selling.

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Circumstances are not favoring the indecent haste hitherto exhibited by the Tim am Harbor Board. If we believed in preordination, we should at once conclude that Fate was working to prevent them carrying out their arrogant intentions. Nothing would satisfy them but that Mr John Darling should cable out the tenders, but that gentleman has evidently a higher sense of the propriety of things than the Board, and declined to do so. He sent, by mail, the tenders in full, but still everything is more complicated than ever, and as things develop, the muddle comes more and more to be seen. The steamer was first of all to cost £BOOO and the pump £4OOO, or £12,000 in all, and Mr Talbot was near scoffing Mr Hill’s head off once for saying she would cost £15,000 ; yet now we find the lowest tender is £14,000. Mr Talbot and his friends put on a lot of airs and looked down on anyone who attempted to criticise them. Where is their superiority now ? Where is the engineer now? Where are Messrs Cook and Cameron now? In fact, where is Mr Darling himself? He was instructed to call for tenders for a twin-screw boat but he only called tenders for a single-screw boat. Really the whole proceeding reminds one of a nursery tale, in which the gentle fairy is thwarting the wicked giant in all his designs. First Mr Marchant drew plans and specifications, and they were submitted to Mr Cook ; but he would not act unless his friend Captain Cameron got a nibble. Messrs Cook and Cameron improved on Mr Marchant’s vessel, and their plans were sent to Mr Darling, who consulted the scientific staff of Messrs Donald Denny & Co,, and with their assistance made further improvements. After calling for tenders Mr Darling has discovered he made a mistake and that the vessel wants to be fifteen feet longer. It has also been discovered that Mr Darling made a further mistake in providing for only a single-screw instead of a twin screw, and now the board propose to cap the blundering by handing their functions over to Mr Darling completely, and let him do what he likes. The conduct of the board is most shameless, reckless, and foolish, and it is very hard if the ratepayers have no means to stop such scandalous waste of money.