The Press. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1914. Licensing Reform.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15158, 23 December 1914, Page 6

The Press. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1914. Licensing Reform.

AVo aro very glad to learn that the Moderato League, which camo into ex- . „ istenco bomo littlo timo Before the last licensing poll, and probably exorcised • Eomo influence on the result, intonds seriously to address itsdf to the task of amending our licensing laws. It is high timo somolhing was done. From iho point of view of tho public welfare it is difficult to imagine anything worse . than our present system. Once in - every three years the Dominion is upset from end to end. Tho prohibitionists " iiold up hotel-keepers and everybody 1 connected with tho trade to public obloquy as enemies of tho human race. The trade not unnaturally retort by representing tho prohibitionists as a set w of narrow-minded kill-joys and "wow"sers."' A vast amount of ill-feeling is created, a good deal of money is wasted. Sometimes, as in tho case of the recent poll, nothing is accomplished on either side. Sometimes ono or two more- districts may bo voted " dry" or tho polling on the national prohibition question may reach a figure which is productivo of alarm to the trado. But meanwhilo tho country's attention is distracted so that it is impossible to giv.e proper consideration : to the broad questions of Imperial and j Rational importance at issuo in tho - general election held on tho same date. And all the time tho consumption of -liquor shows no sign of diminution ; in fact, taking the Dominion as a whole, it. shows an increase. And in the noliconse districts, while the amount of liquor which can bo traced may show a diminished consumption per head, 'everybody knows that drinking stiil goes on in a more undesirablo form "JvCiiainK.

the practice of ''keeping it in tbe " house" extend?, and lead? tco to that tippling in .secret which :.- tho :\<>r:-i and moM dangerous form of •"*- ---'-■\'sivr' in alroholio liquor. Nor .-«rf ihc-.f tho only draivbark*. Thoor'.-ticaHy tho prnctiro o'i Silking a. licer.?.i!sg poll every thrco years ought to hnvo a -wholo-sorao effect in keeping the hotel-kc-rjpor wiihin the bounds of good conduct- prescribed by public opinion. 7 hotel trade is wonderfully well-conductod in New Zealand on tho •t« - ho!e. Suit it i.s largely in spite of tho Jicon:-i:;g I.tv, and no; in '■oiu-eqnenec ol it. If i: wore originally intended to prevent enterprise and progress in tho biiiino.-.? of hotel-keeping, and to stimulate the- oxccj-mvc consumption of liquor it is difficult to :;co how it could have l>ooll better framed for that purpose. Tf a Now Zen lander rxoe.- ic Kiiiiland or America, o: , to any la run <ity on tho Conti'iont of Europe, ho finds that the business of liolel-keepir.y h.x> loon pract:-<-:illy reroltitiociscd. Palatini b;i;jdings 'hare been oroctod. and the comfort of cho guests, is ministered to in every respect. He will find a delighriul winter gnrden where l;:dics, a> well as mo:i. <:un take n cup of tea or ii j;inss of vino, whichever they prefer, and listen to good music. i There is in the best hotels a bathroom u> even- bedroom, and a telephone by tho bedside, while on the hotel promises tho visitor finds a barber, a telegraph nnd post office, r. newspaper stall, and an agency -where ho can book his seats for tho theatre or opera. Twentyfire years ago. hotels in the loading centres of New Zealand wero wonderfully good, considering tho remoteness nnd yonthfulness of the country. Today, with very few exceptions, they Jiavo lagged hopelessly behind in the march of progress. Nor is it to bo wondered at. How can any sane man bo expected to spend a hundred thousand pounds on building an up-to-date hotel when in three years' time, or eron less, ".No-license" may b<3 carried in tho district, and the greater part of his expenditure may be irretrievably lost? Tho law makes it very much against his interest to improve his property, and on the other hand puts pressure upon liirn io sell as much liquor as ho can within tho comparatively limited space of timo that may bo allotted to him If a man continual.y has the sword of Damocles suspendod over him in this way he is practically driven to make as much profit as ke can in tho shortest possiblo time so that when tho blow doea descend ho may be prepared to meot it. Tho need of reform is as apparent here as it is in California, where, Woording to our cables, a strong agitation has been set on foot for tho purpose of amending the liquor Jaws. So long as political parties remain bo ovenly balanced In New Zealand wo shall not find a Government bold enough to tackle this thorny question. Wo hope, however, tho Moderate League will persevere and steadily set ifcsalf to creato a strong body of public opinion in favour of the, objects it has in view.