NO-LICENSE AS A BUSINESS PROPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 640, 18 October 1909, Page 3

NO-LICENSE AS A BUSINESS PROPOSITION.

Sir,—Since coming lo Wellington I have heard a good deal about the falling-olf o£ business iu tliis city during the dull times, which, happily) seem to bo passing away. Tho ono business that docs not appear to fall-off, 110 matter who else goes short, is .tho- liquor business. During the three years IWIS, IHOS, ISO 7, the duty paid on drink in Wellington increased' by iJ77,553. This means that about JEBOO.OOO extra was spent on drink in the Wellington area in that time. It is neither natural nor right that beneficial businesses should languish, while this enemy of all real healthy growth'should spread and flourish. One of the most notable effects of oven local No-License, as wo have it in New Zealand, is the increased commercial solidity of tho areas affccted. I had placed before me'a little whilo ago in Duneilin. a curtails proof of this. A certain largo firm sells an article of universal household use, nearly all over New Zealand, on the time-payment system; The payment is 10s. a month. A sort of competition, is instituted amongst the collectors as to who can get tho best results.' There are a largo number of towns oonccrned, nearly all the placcs in New Zealand, but, during the' first four months

of this year the best town in all New Zealand was No-License Ashburton, with a soere of 17s. I 6d. paid for every':los. >' due. Tho 'next best I place was No-License Oamani, \tith a -scoro'j of liJ?*. 4d. paid for every 10s. due. Inverear. I ?i j® B -dose tip with 13s. paid for every 10s. due.. Now, seeing that we had only 6ix towns, in the competition, this, is, a very creditable record. The, Mayor of Oamaru | locentiy said "that he felt, sure that, with tie ; n! e j Xce P^? n °f Invercargill, O.nmarn had I felt the depression less than any place in New j Zealand. - One of the principal retailers of I Oamaru had assured him that, in spite of the I depression then reigning in many parts, ho had' had a record yer-, both'us to turnover and I fewness of bad debts." • - ' The "Otago Daily Times," of Dunedin, has published lntelv accounts of- the abounding prosperity of Balclutha, where, it is stated, there is not a house of any kind to' let, though new ones are rapidly being built. The 'same paper, which is n*t favourable to Noucenfe, has lately published accounts showing the record business enjoyed in Ashburton last Christmas Simitar results are beginning to accrue in the new No-Licenso areas. I had the assurance of the la** manager of the Waihi ; Theatre Inat the takings in their business increased 20 per cent, the inauguration of No-License, ami a leading retailer told a Mr. Johnson, a fining ■engineer there. • a friend of mine, that he'had had a record time since No-License came in. Similarly, lis regards Masterton. A gentleman connected with a paner that dees not favour No-Licenso editorially, told mo that ho had absolutely reliable .information that both as re:?ards : busineps n S I rni cvcr^.°^ l<, r wa - v Matforton was bcttei on. lhc editor of e southern paper that opposes No-License editor>'allv. greatly' amused 5? nfeßsinß fhat-22-nnt of his editorial staff of 24 persons voted No-License. These are men who have opportnhih- fo knm~ the exact truth. •■.My only excuse for tr^nblin?:yon on this patter i.s that nrvthin/? th.it helos business should be crat*fnlly received, and should i)e. pushed along.—l am, etc., G. B. NICI^OLLS.