The Press. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1910. THE LICENSING BILL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13881, 4 November 1910, Page 6

The Press. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1910. THE LICENSING BILL.

The most interesting statement made by £ir Joseph Ward in his rather colourless speeches on the Licensing Bill was his announcement that ho would be prepared, when tho Bill was in Committee, to so amend it as to allow thd moderate party to cast its vote otherwise than ior national prohibition. The Premier presumably knows what he means to do, and he might just as well have stated his intention definitely. As it is, his vague, promise may mean either the re-insertion of the reduction issue or tho separation of tho issues of No-license and national prohibition. As at present drafted, tho Bill provides that n, vote for either of these shall count for both. It almost seems, however, that the prohibitionists fear that this would mduco many people who havo hitherto voted for No-license to vote, for continuance, because, though quite willing ,to close up the hotels and stop the retail sale of liquor, they are not prepared to deprive themselves of liquor in their homes. All the arguments with which they support their attitude do npt alter the fact that logically tho principle of "No-license no liquor ,, is sound, and no people would, we nte convinced, advocate its adoption more strenuously than tho prohibitionists, if they were assured that the prohibition vote would equal tho No-licenso vote. It is quite possible, however, that since tho introduction of the .Licensing Bill they have como reluctantly to the conclusion that not all the voters who supported No-licenso at tho last poll would be prepared to do the same next year if they knew that they were, helping to vote liquor out of the Dominion altogether. There are many people who havo no objection to putting their brothers to inconvenience, so long us they themselves are required to make any sacrifice. The reason for the prohibitionist demand for the separation of the issues is, therefora, fairly obvious. Apart from thLs important point there are several very debateable clauses in tho Bill, and the Premier was merely uttering a truism when he said that unless tho measure was approached in the .?,p-irit of compromise it would be hopeless to expect it to pass in any session. In its present form, it appears, tho Bill represents -what the Government consider "best in the interests and for "tho moral welfare of the people," yet he is quite ,prepared to make some important amendments. In other .words, "These are our views, but if "they don't suit, you we will change "them." That is the attitude to which the present Government nas so accustomed the public thit it* adoption never excites any surprise I'OwadayK. There is a good deal in Mr Masioy's argument, that as most of tho members have boon returned as supporters of existing legislation, they should not bo asked to agree to such a radically new departure as this Bill offers. But wo bcliovo with him, that the measure will not get beyond the Committee stage, and we are not at all sure that the Government care whether it goes any further or not. HEALTH IN THE TROPICS. In appealing for support for tho Edward Vllth Tropical Research Fund us part of London's memorial to tho lato King, Lord Northeote draws attention to a branch of research that docs not receive tho support it deeerves. Great Britain's encouragement of such investigation is certainly not eommensurnt© with the vast extent of her tropical possessions, in the administration of which thousands of Englishmen risk their health and their lives. Tho Imperial Government contributes £1000 a year to the Advisory Committee of the Tropical Diseases Research Fund, which divides most of Us small revenue of £3000 odd between thn London and Liverpool Schools of Tropical Medicine, 4ind the Australian School recently established in Queensland. In addition, the Government dc-frays the cost of tho new Bureau of Slopping Sickness. The most generous asi-iitance towards making life in the tropics more healthy for both whito mon and black has come from privato individuals. Tho Liverpool School <ii Tropical Medicine, which wns founded and handsomely endowed by the lato

Sir Alfred .Jonac, lir.s ccst in the cloven years of its existence some £00,000. JThij institution has sent out To the > ' trojiics no fewer than twenty-t!:r<t- re-L-μ , .i!th (.-xju'ditions to study problems on 1 th- ispot. It is interesting to sec 'ii ! th; libt of names of notable men who f-'.if.-port Lord North cote's appeal, that (.<i Mr Chamberlain. The {ireatest of I all Colonial Secretaries is, unhappily, I ;>:t.>l jictive work, but he i.~> .st;II ablo to t:.!;e a kc.-n interest in the welfare of the ov<tsl;is Empire. It Vv:;.j Mr Cliii'niberhiin who tools; thy iirst !=tops toward.? tin , inundation <;f both thej London ami Liverpool .Schools, and Ul-jnbtleis if he had been at the Treasury I the iinancial assistance given hy the i Imperial Government would havo "been c-.'iisidcrably greater. There is r.o question as to the immense valtio of the research work done already, and ■ there is nn reason why investigation in the future should not bo equally fruitful. Lord Xortlicoto mentions the extraordinary fall in the yellowfever mortality in Cuba, since \ue United States took charge. Ho might aUo have .pointed to the Panama Canal zone, which i.s now. thanks to the war on the mosquito, quite a healthy district compared with what it was in tho days of the French construction, when Europeans died like flies. In Italy medical .science reduced the deaths from malaria from 21,000 in 1887 to •tOOO in 1007. At Ismailia, there has „ been no endemic malaria sinoe Major Boss's a/dvico to exterminate mesquitoes was taken six years ago, and campaigns conducted at Durban, "* Hong Kong, Khartoum, and Port Said have also been successful. The mortality from typhoid among our troops in Tudia has been reduced by y inoculation. Tho terrible scourge of . sleeping sickness has not yet been s stamped out, but it lias been checked, c and at any moment a specific euro may . be found. Thanks to tho labours of a s few scientific men, to whose work tho _ public has been reprchensively indife orent, residence in the tropics can be Q made much healthier than it is now. 1 It is fitting that London, tho centre of g tho Empire, should, in honouring tho •j memory of tho late King, assist ,a a movement that is of Imperial importf ance.