STATE PURCHASE OF THE LIQUOR TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 297, 15 December 1919, Page 9

STATE PURCHASE OF THE LIQUOR TRADE.

(Published by Arrangement.) I

I PERSONAL LETTERS FROM BRITAIN. CARLISLE CITIZENS PRAISE STATE CONTROL. Mr. D. il. President of tie NX Moderate League, has received the following striking letters from some of the most prominent citizens of Carlisle in which they give unstinted praise to the experiment in Jjtate Pureiiase and Control of the Liquor Trade which has •been in operation in their district sinct July, 1916. FROM THE CHIEF CONSTABLE (No. 1.) D. M. Findlay, Esq., President of the Moderate League, Wellington, New Zealand. Chief Constable's Office, sth September, 1919. Dear Sir, —In reply to your inquiry, I have pleasure in stating that I am in complete agreement with the work of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) as far as their operation in Carlisle and district are concerned, and consider they hare done an enormous amount of good in reducing drunkenness in the area under their direct control. Under no circumstances would I revert to pre-war condrtons and hours, and am quite satisfied from personal observation that there is no necessity for publichouses to open before midday, or remain open after 10 p.m. I am a strong advocate of ample supplies of pure beer of average strength, which •will, I feel sure, satisfy the average ■working man. Yours faithfully. TS. H. SPENCE, Chief Constable. FROM THE MAYOR OF CARLISLE. (No. 2.) sth Sept., 1919. D. M_ Findlay, Esq., President, Moderate League, Wellington, N.Z. Dear Sir, —An inquiry has reached mc winch I understand comes from you with reference to the results of the operations of the Liquor Control Board here in Carlisle, and I understand that you are interested to have some expression of -opinion thereon. As to the facte of th e case I cannot de better than to refer you to the Official Reports of the Board which are regularly issued. A persual of these will j give you the fullest information, including that which is of especial interest regarding the reduction in the number of Licensed Houses, the elimination of private interest in tie sale of alcoholic liquors, the careful supervision under which the sale of alcoioßcs is conducted, and tire vast improvement tfoat has taken place in the premiees where drinking now takes place, and the consequent reduction in the number of convictions for drunkenness. Personally, I am of opinion that alcohol as a beverage is nothing but an evil thing, the more drastic the restrictions the better, and my ideal is prohiBifcion. I recognise, however, that whatever might have been the case as a temporary measure, shortly after the outbreak of War, Prohibition is not at thu present time, at any rate, a practical issue, and I think that, as matters are, the experiment the Control Board have made constitutes a big step in advance, and is a move totoards the proper solution of a most difficult problem. - There can be no doubt whatever that the result of the work of the Board in Carlisle is responsible for an immense improvement in the condition of things here. So large a reduction of licenses as ias actually taken place would lave taken many years to accomplish under the old regime, if, indeed, it would ever have been brought about. The old-fash-ioned publichouses which existed here in such numbers lent themselves to indulgence in excessive drinking, and I ihave no hesitation in saying that the present state of things is vastly better than what was the case previously, though at the same time we are still a long way from Saving reached an ideal state of things. Incidentally, I regret very much that Kbe regulation as to Sunday closing has teen relaxed. There was no necessity for this change. Under the regulation the yeaee and quiet of the Sunday was most marked, but the change, as was to be expected, has not conduced to good order ■whatever may he said to the contrary. These observations are unavoidably •omewhet hurriedly put together, but I kope they may t>e of some interest and some service to you. ■BeKeve mc, Your faWifully, BERTRAM CARR, Mayor. KROM THE 7iATE IUAYOR OF CARLISLE. {Xow Alderman George White, J.P.) (No. 3) D. M. Findlay, Esq., President, Moderate League, Wellington, N.Z. Dear Sir, —In reply to your inquiry, I am glad to inform you that the experiment of Liquor Control, as carried out in tie Carlisle Area during the list three years, has undoubtedly been an unqualified success. As an ex-Mayor end Alderman of many years' standing, »lso Justice of the Peace since 1896, 1 have watched the development and •ffect of the experiment with great satisfaction and approval, from both the moral and business point of view, and feel sure the last thing the public desire is to revert to the old state of things. Yours faithfully. GEO. WHITE, J.P. FROM JOHN FITZSIMMONS, ESQ. (Member of Carlisle City Council, and of HeaJth, Education, Special Housing and Development Committees.) (No. 4.) BE LIQUOR CONTROL. Carlisle, September 4th, 1919. D. M. Findlay, Esq., President, Moderate League, Wellington. Dear Sir, —In reply to your inquiry to give my opinion on the very important question of State Purchase and Control of the Liquor Traffic, I can only say that the control of the Liquor Traffic under proper conditions is a great benefit to the nation as a whole, as it tends to tie betterment of the people. I am. Yours respectfully, JOHIN FITZSIMMONS, (Member of Carlisle City, Council, and of the Health, Education, Special "Housing, and Development Committees.)