PROHIBITION IN FINLAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9024, 10 January 1908, Page 4

PROHIBITION IN FINLAND.

The only measure of first-class importance during the first session of >the new Finnish Diet (3ays "The London Times" correspondent, writing from Helsingfors) has been a very drastic' measure totally prohibiting all traffiic in intoxicating liquors. Only for medical and technical purposes may spirits be produced, imported, stored, and distributed as a State monopoly. Exceptions are made for tihe Russian troops in Finland. The ecclesiastical use of wine is forbidden, and-some non-alcoholic beverage must be substituted at the Communion. One member—a male one, it may be added —could not see why churches should be the only taverns left in the country. No one is allowed to keep alcoholic drinks in his house, unless he can prove that he came into possession of them before the law comes into force. The law authorises, the police, and various other officials to enter any house, on reasonable grounds of suspicion, and search it for spirits, wine, or beer. Carrying alcoholic matter involves the forfeiture of the vehicle, with horse and harness; similarly a vessel, the principal cargo of which consists of alcoholic drinks, will be seized. Penalties for other offences against the law are exceedingly heavy, varying from a fine of £4 to penal servitude for three years. There is no provision in the law for compensation for the loss of license and of the capital and i goodwill represented by breweries and distilleries, etc., but the committee report on, the question contains, though rather reluctantly,; vague hints of the possibility of future legislation on this matter. Some at least of tile supporters of the law probably voted for it for merely tactical reasons, thereby satisfying the demands of their constituents, and at the same time running no- risk of its ever coming into force. For there is hardly any member,, among the more sober temper,ance party,, at least, who really believes that this enactment will re:ceive the sanction of the Sovereign. For one thing, there are commercial treaties*, over which Finland has r.o ; control, between Russia and foreign i countries which will be closely affected by the prohibition law. This fact has not beeirtotally overlooked by the ; Diet, but the committee report argues that these treaties; are not applicable. ■ This, however, will be a matter to be ,decided by the contracting parties. ; The alcoholic consumption in Finland ; is not very> high; in fact, the alcohol , index fbi* the country is lower than j'for any other country in Europe, but there is. a grea*. deal of drunkenness.