LICENSING LAW.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 492, 27 April 1909, Page 4

LICENSING LAW.

Sir, —It would appear that tlio licensing laws of this Dominion will soon bo the laugh-ing-stock of tlio whole world. Mr. Carson, scut from Western Australia, and, 110.doubt,, a_ perfectly-unbiased observer, lins apparently ridiculed tlio system as a farce. J\lr. Ranking, polico commissioner, sent by Queensland, has returned in somewhat the same mind, and a report of the experiences of two French gentlemen in Invercargill might well cause any unbiased person t-o ask:, " What other conclusion could: any reasonable mail como to?" .Even now three-fifths of thee voters here aro duped aud deceived,land tlieir knowledge of the real; effect of'No-License is nil. This applies moro especially to women and young girls. Of course, under No-Licenso -drinking continues exactly as before. Its ouiv' sure ollects are to muko beer four times

cheaper, and as a natural sequence liquor consumption is increased by at least 100 per cent. Liquor becomes so very cheap that even the poorest of the very poor may havo-his cask or liis jar in his house, and, needlss to say, ho has it. Already thousands of electors vote for No-License becauso it means cheaper liquor and heaps more of it. Hand in hand with, them go thousands of women and young girls duped into tho belief that by voting No-. Licenso -thoy are promoting temperance. In .tho forefront of tho battle aro the ecclesias-tics-shouting, "Down with tho publican and get control over the liquor trade I" According to most of them nowadays, tho first and last doctrino of the Christian Faith is this: ' Hate tho publican, r'uiij him, rob him, slander him; and, abovo alll things, hate him with your whole heart and your wholo mind." And this, sir, from tho supposed representatives on earth of tho Man Whoso wholo gospel was: "Lovo ye." Yet they profess to wonder why tho churchc-s aro empty. Ten years ago wo liad a measuro of control over tho trado. It was licensed, and, to a certain extent,' supervised. Now in onethird of tho Dominion wo havo fooled away every shadow of that control and supervision. But has liquor consumption. diminished in those district?? Not to tho extent of a single fraction,; but it is now an unlicensed, uncontrolled, dirty traffic. This is done by No- . License-in tho namo of temperance. -It .is, sir, surely one of tho things which is said to make the angels weep.i "Tho.Government will . do nothing. ; It might mean votes, and they are much more important than any matter winch affects tho morality of the people, but the more respectable journals of the Dominion, while.not taking sides, should tako it upon themselves to give tho public tho truth. —l am; etc,, " , „ TOILER. . April 22.