PROHIBITION AT INVERCARGILL

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 163, 10 July 1907, Page 3

PROHIBITION AT INVERCARGILL

MISERY REDUCED.

BUT LIQUOR CONSUMPTION

UNDIMINISHED.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

Some observations by Inspector Mitchell, oi the Invercargill police district, upon the observance of the licensing law are contained in his annual report" and Ve Y~ ™ ter esting reading, in view of the fact that no-license came into operation in the Invercargill Licensing District last July. c "Consequent upon this," states Inspector Mitchell, "brewery depots were established at Waikiwi, on the margin of the no-license area, at which youths and men purchase beer in two-gallon and five-gallon kegs, oftentimes when not in a fit state to be supplied. It is by no means an uncommon sight to see a number of young fellows collected round a keg on the roadside or in an adjoining paddock, some of them showing signs of excessive drinking, and yet the "police are helpless to control such sales, the vendors being subjected to no restrictions. The locker system came into existence at four establishments here. This system, as carried on, is, I think, an undoubted evasion of the law. The closing of the open bar has materially improved the order and conduct in the streets, and to my own knowledge many homes- that formerly knew misery through its existence now enjoy happiness and contentment. At the same time, the consumption of liquor in Southland, as shown in the Customs return, has not decreased during the nine months ended 31st March last. Seventyeight cases of drunkenness were before the Invercargill Court, and in all cases but one the supply of liquor was conclusively traced to sources outside the no-license area. The Bluff is by rail 17 miles, Woodlands by rail 12 miles, Wallacetown by road or rail 5 miles, and Waikiwi depots by road 3 miles, so that it will be readily seen the facilities for obtaining liquor are numerous, and prevent no-license receiving a fair trial. During the same period, five convictions have been recorded here for sly-grog selling, resulting in fines totalling —250, and though we have a population of over 13.000, there is no reason to believe that illicit sales of liquor are at present being carried on to any appreciable extent."