NO-LICENSE OR STATE CONTROL?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6458, 30 December 1904, Page 3

NO-LICENSE OR STATE CONTROL?

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Your correspondent "F.H.C. " occupies a quarter of a column oP your spice in yesterday's issue with what he considers arguments in favour of the app'ieafcion of State control to the liquor trade as applied to the Ashburton electoral. It, U a point worthy of notice that this howl for "State control " was only heard when thera appoared a liklihood of the No-license party succeeding in abolishing the licensed sale ,' of liquor. The public-spirited gonblcraen who now to strenuously advocate the sale of liquor by tho State were absolutely j silent so long 1 as tho license system was not | interfered with. Now they come forward and tell us that No-license has "worked wonders" for Ashburton "so far as the cleanliness of tho town is concerned," but that this ia a minor p >iut. Ft is asserted that there are " scores " of' private' bars, to s--ay nothing of ' firo-sido clubs ' and' tarpaulin musters,' but no proof is given of tho truth of this assertion, beyond un appeal to therecords of sly grog convictions in tho County. These reoorda do not, to my mind, provo tho existence- in 'Ashburton of "scores" of sly grog shops, and I anbtnit I that if " F U.C." is in a position to gi^e us | information on this point ho cau scarcely p»ao as 11 n unbiassed witiums in i he matter. I'Mf.C. scorns to think that the orjoning of n State bfir, whoro liquor could beobtaine'l by any sober porson, for consumption on the i premises, would do away with tho n\y grog ! shops. It would not. As Boon as mon j got so much liquor inside thorn as to onsuro their b«ing rnfumid morn at a State Bar, thoy would bio tliom to annw " Unlicensod Victinlloi 1" wlio woultl promptly supply all thoiv wmul'.h. If tho Stute Bar did a " bottlo and jug" tradu, that might. aTjuol'-'ll tho hlv >{roggorri, btit it would not help to miligatn tho drink ovil. I leave your correspondent to find a solution for th's difl'ujulty if ho can do so. The NoLiceuso party has often been twitted with I iguoranca of its own aims, but nnsfc of the advooatna of State Control, in this country at all events, do not s^em at all eleae as to what kind of State Control they require, and how it is to be administered when they get it. Perhaps" F.H.0." will enlighten us on these points.—l am, etc.,

" Wot's the Good of Anyfink,?"