LICENSING BILL

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 135, 2 March 1908, Page 7

LICENSING BILL

INTRODUCED IN HODSB'OF COMMONS.:. PRINCIPAL PROVISIONS. ' PROTRACTED STRUGGLE ANTICIPATED. BY TELEGIIAPH —PIIESS ASSOCIATION —COPSMGHT. London, February 23. In'-tho House of Commons, tho Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, ■ introduced a comprehensive Licensing Bill based to somo extent on tho minority report of Lord Peel's Commission. - , . ; ; v _ Tho Bill provides for an immediate and progressive reduction of facilities : on tho retail side for tho sale'of intoxicant:. !: .v. ' V, STATE CONTROL. The measure also provides that tho , State shall gradually, and with due. regard to existing interests, recover dominion over a monopoly improvidently allowed to escape from its control. ryrThe Bill fixes the annual value as the difference between the value returned for Income tax purposes'and 1 > the value of tHe ; premises if -they v were unlicensed. The latter will be estimated by the Commissioners ,of \ Inland Revenue. ' After fourteen years' monopoly the value of all licenses will be restored, to tho community, and local option will follow. Meanwhile, the parochial electors will exercise a local voto in connection with new-licenses,' the vote being binding for' three years. 1 POSITION OF CLUBS. Clubs must register 1 annually,, and afford an opportunity for objections ! being made. Uniformed police; ofn-.; cials, may. inspect them. Tho Bill fixes the limit for the - bona-fide traveller at five miles. It'confers'local option on Wales, and extends the Welsh provisions as to closing to Monmouthshire.' ' • It does not allow children to enter ' licensed bars. The Bill proposes compulsory re- ; duction in the number of licenses /.. during the time-limit for compensation—namely, 14 years—suppressing, 32,000, or one-third T of thewhole, . and fixes the maximum number of licenses according to density of population, - ( « • r M COMPENSATION. It greatly reduces the~scaie*of'com-''''' pensation, and establishes a central . Licensing Commission in connection ; — with the compensation fund established, under Mr. BalfourVAot of ' 1904. The area for a levy on the licensing trade will,cover/vtheSwholi of-Eng- . : ' land and Wales, and compensation ■ from such levy will suffice, with interest at the rate of 4 per .cent., to purchasa an immediate annuity for J the unexpired years of the reduction ,r. period, the commissioners.for Inland "•> Revenue adding.^.hatjheyi; consider . just compensation to license-holders - for the loss of business.

Mr. Asquith said ho considered it contrary to public policy to encourago tied liouseJ. . \ / Ml?; BALFOUR PROTESTS;:: Mr. Balfour strenuously protested against the extinction of, legal, property,. a<s robbery. The compensation offeiftd- 'should"bo'6n, the' present market Valuo; that was a fair sum, and anything else was wrong. 110 predicted the multiplication-of ( unlioensed,-drink-, ing places. ;'' . ' ' .Liberals and Labouritds.VttarmJyjsuppoHedi the .Bill,. which. the ■ Liberal- newspapers welcomo' as bold'and far-reaching. A . protracted strugglo in Committee'" is anticipated. . 1 The temperance members of tho 'House of-' Commons choered as Mr. Asquith questioned tlie existenco -of tho legal right! of property in licenses but were silent' when remarked that thero had grown up outside of the' law interests which statesmen were unable -to ijjnoro. 'i.'•> FIERCE ; CRITICISM. The measure' is;bVing/.fiercely,.criticised -in. the country., ■, .'.i ; : Conservative journals, predict great disturbances and ..annoyance,;'and consider that, the Bill will do little. goo[l.,towards the. motion of temperance. . . .Zv .V' 1

, Tho trado declaresitho measure countenances sheer robbery;,•■/while nonconformists and temperanco advocates applaud: it.-. ■ , -The brewery 'share . market:, js..par3lysod ; and other investments are affccted. PRESS OPINIONS. WEAKNESS OF BREWERY SHARES. ' "DEATH WARRANT OF THE GOVERNMENT." ..:• . (Rec. March 1,- 4.43 p.m.)' l <>.' London, February 29. . • i" Tho Times," commenting" on tho state of tho, money market-, stated that the' outstanding feature is tho weakness of brewery shares. ; Doalers have.-. marked'. down , tho prices .throughout 'the list as a precaution, and dealings are impossible. Brewery and Commercial Trust preferred shares fell, two points, and, three points,., , Tho "Financial Times." savs.the nominal marking down in values of : broworv • and allied stocks rqpresents'aii- aggregate 'shrinkago -of £32,000,000.

Tho "Daily Telegraph" declares that Mr, Asquith's Bill has signed tho.death warrant of tho Government..'

Tho, " Financial-' Nows "- : states that the impression was gaining ground this afternoon that the Bill was introduced for tho purpose of "filling the'.cup" of tho Hotiso of Lords, and to convinco tho teetotallers that it is hopeless ■ to" think of. inducing tho country to agree to their viows in tho direction of spoliation.,^. BISHOP OF LONDON'S VIEWS. "We. arc at a very; critical timo in the temSoranco movement,* said. tho Bishop of Lonon 'nt a meeting of tho* Temperance ' Legislation League at tho. Caxton.Jlall— "Never beforo has a Government promised to put such a measure;"in\the first place 'in their legislative programme," he said, "The country is ready for Checks on excessive drinking, but I am equally certain that thoso who are not tetotallers arc not going to be interefered with in their. drinking. I realise, that as a teetotaller,l am only in tho proportion of one to forty; J 'a'u'(l 'it' j£' ludicrous to speak of the ■ whole of -England. as teetotal. I am in favour of A-somewhat longer time limit that some of yon-would bo. The price that wo have to pay.ffoit our. follj;; in tho, past is to see that a generous time limit is afforded, and wo must remember that sometimes widows and orphan?" h'nvo'-'tO'--rely on this business, so wo must allow the managers timo to readjust their business to tho new conditions. I' disagree wrVhVnibst bf-'you 1 in Regard to local we regard it'as a cure for these evils I must Bay that I think

it is a most fallacious cure. People to whom . I have spoken tell me that Sunday closing . ■- cannot bo secured at the present moment, and. that tho attempt to obtain it would result ; in a fiasco." , THE NONCONFORMIST POINT OF VIEW. v Speaking at a deputation, which recently waited 011 Mr. Asquith in regard to the licensing proposals of, the Government, Dr. Rondel Harris said they hoped for the restoration of ; tho right of licensing into the hands of the public. They certainly looked for reform as . regards the closing of saloons on election days, and trusted that , some limitations should be S laced upon the sale of liquor on Sunday. The >ev., J., Scott Lidgett said Free Churchmen desired the enactment of'a time limit after ■which' the public would be 'perfectly freo to undertake a systematic reduction' of. licenses in all congested areas throughout tho-country, that there should be some more effective measure for protection of the: children, that so long as there was a monopoly value created in public houses tho Exchequer should benefit :by the licenses-having to ? pay in proportion to their , value, and that, drinking clubs • should be made directly amenable 'to . tho licensing laws. v : 'S

" LIQUOR TRADE STATISTICS. ' The total: taxation ; derived from Excise and ■ Customs duties on alcoholic liquors, in 1308 (says the London " Daily Expvoss") was .. 21.03 per cent. of .the total Exchequer, receipts. The' figures' for the last 'few"years speak, for ■ ■■■ themselves:—.. ' Excise, and Exchequer ■ ' ■ - Customs duties; ; • receipts. .1903 ... ... .£37,875,501 i '-£151,551,698 1904 ... JC3G,818,71»r £141,545,578 ' .1905 ... ..., £35,175,209 . ,£143,370,401 ;. 1900' £34,593,09S r £143,977,575 " ■The'abovo : fißureß'ohly.'deal with ,duties api .'V plied to Imperial taxation: The' amouijt col. lected from the liquor trado and applied in : relief* ; of.-. local- taxation iu tho sam<) yearr. was as follows':— 1903' Ui : '" ... £3,561,124 . '.. -1901 .... . .... £3,542,001 ■ r 1905 ' £3,473,537 . "■ >1906, . ... • ... ... £3,447,843 « Pew 'peoplo... havß..-aiiy .adequate conception ■ of tho colossal volume'of tho ' trado; in alco- - holio beverages.:-., Tho number of barrels of beer brewed during tlic last four years in tho Umt(d. ; Kingdom' reached tho -following vast totals'' • , '" ' , Barrels..'- ; Barrels. 1903 .... 35,978,699 1905 . ... 34,404,287' .1904 " ',;. '-35,323,350 ' ; J ..;: ... 34,109,203 In : the, samo years the, quantity of spiritsdistilled iri.'ttoo .United* Kingdom was as fol- . lows: ' Gallons. . Gallons. ' 1903 ; 49,744,430 1905 ... ... '49,140,042 .1904 ... ... 51,816,600 , 1900 '. 49,214,165 According to tho reports of tho .Commis-. sioners of Inland. Revenue and Customs tho quantities consumed have, varied as: follow . since. 1900:— ■- t- ;'■• . i ■" BRITISH AND FOREIGN' SPIRITS. , -, Gallons pet L ' i , v head of i 1 .1... Gallons. population* 1900 . 48.020,896'... 1.18 . .1903 ... ... 43,315,748 ... ... ... .1.03 ' j 1905 ... ... 40,070,136 ... .93 1906 . 39,221,949 ~!. ... ... .90, ■ , : . FOREIGN WINES. Gallons. .'. Per head* 1900 ... ... 17,146,897- ..." .42 ";' v. 1903-...' ... 15,399,407 .... ... ...'. .37 1905'- 11,912,833 • 27 • 1906 ' 11,784,193 - : .27 ; ' BEER. i Gallons, Barrels. < per head.1900 ... ... 36,578,150 ... ... ... i 32.27 • ■" V " 1903 ...... 35,369,719 ... ...... 30.35 1905 ... ... 33,810,121 '. .'28.41 : 1906 ' '-.:i V.i- v-33i501,110 : VT.;, ... ... 27.90 • The' extent''of'. tho 'import' aid export trade! 'in beer, wind, and spirits may bo judged from' ■ tho followingj.igures:— , : > . . ' V BEER. 1906. Barrels, ' . : Exports ■ - ... .... .;. , H ... 520,826 .Imports ... - ... ... ... 57,191 BRITISH SPIRITS. .J : : «■ ' i 1906. .- . Gallons. Exports, ... - ... 7,049,798 , V FOREIGN SPIRITS. ' ir- ' ; 1906.; -. • Gallons. . . .. Imports into U.K.' after do- i. : -j.v ducting re-exports ... ...- 6,789,802 . ,v ■ :". "WINE. !' ' 190 G. -' Gallons. Imports into U.IC. . ... ... 12,272,136 The total number of'. retail licensed house! iii the' United Kingdom isinearly 170,000. The; licensing' statistics for 1906 show that' in Eng.. . land and Wales tho number of t premises licensed^for the-sale of intoxicating liquors . . , v . ON LICENSES. Proportion. ' •per 10,000 ' ■ /Date.,, Number, of population. . ■ Jam'll 1891 103,431 ... ... 34.36 : . „ 1900 ... 102,189 .... ... 31.69 1905.V-i.. 99,478 ... ... 29.13 : ; „ 190G . ... ; 98,891, ... ... .28.63 ' • OFF LICENSES. Proportion. " ' per 10,000 '. . ■ ' Date. - ' Number, of population. • . ' Jan. 1, 1905 -.! 25,405 : 7.41 ■ ' ' 1906 ■' .1. 25,281 ... ... 7.32 On the other-handi tho number of registered ,: clubsjlias grown steadily, as shown byj the fol - loiving! figures:— ... i :. Jan. 1, 1903 ...... ' ' 6371 ■i 1901 ... ...-■ ... ... 6468 :. : .. „. : 1905 . ... ...' ... ".'6589 ■ V 1906 '.... ; G721 ' ; These . figures . represent an increase .of 131 during tho ; year;'l9os, ! - ! artd-of 350. since clubl .- were iirst i registered.in.l9o3. ... ,