THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, APRIL 29,1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3847, 29 April 1881, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, APRIL 29,1881.

Legislation anent the sale of spirits and strong drink lias been very prevalent of late years.. In .America every, now and ihehj we 5 read r,f cue of the State Legislatures accepting a modification of theMaine Liquor Law, and indeed, the" universal bent of 1p te enactmen s has had.- a tendency to decrease the opportunities- for <ho sale of alcohol. What will people who regar3 the suppression of liquor traffic as progression, think of the mostjearned and progressive assembly^ in tho^ world — the British House of Commons—should it" pass the new Licensing Bill, tbe main provision of which is absolute free trade in tbe sale of spirits, any respectable man being competent to keep a public house, on condition of paying the. licensing duty, which will be no longer by a fixed sum, but so much in the pound on tho rateable value of the premises. We learn 'from latest English files that such are the provisions of the new measure to be introduced into the House of Commons. The spirit of this new Act must be totally different (o the New Zealand ordinance which places all the power solely in the bauds of the district commissioners—-if they should think one hofel - -sufficient - for a population of 60C0, every house could be. shut up, nnd there is no appeal from their decision. ' We are guiLe prepared to admit that lhe drinking habits of the age require repression, but we do not think tbat such legislation as fhat recently edopted in New Zealand will prove veiy beneficial in the direciiioa indicated. It is probable that tbe,question will receive attention during tho next session of Parliament, for tho injudicious action of the Thames Licensing Bench has called attention to the abuse of the power at present in the hands of the commissioners."