Page 6 Advertisements Column 5

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2990, 30 January 1917, Page 6

THE SCOTTISH LIQUOR QUESTION Sir,—Your article of Saturday, ■ headed "The Scottish Liquor Question," arrested my attention. It reported a meeting presided over by 'Tjord Balfour of Burleigh, who is a distinguished churchman and a leader in the Church Union question in Scotland. Tho object of the meeting was to find a "fair and reasonable means of climin- I ating private interest from the sale of intoxicating liquor in Scotland," as private interest had been at the root of nearly every difficulty which faced them as temperance reformers. Prohibition was not a practicable solution, even in war time. State purchase would give the public control of the management. Mr. Lloyd Genre's statement, quoted hv Sir John MaoTny, also a notable social reformer, was important, being "that tho trade in Scotland shonkl ho purchased and llio Local Veto Bill of 1920 brought into immediate operation," and a resolution was passed embodying that statement. This is a great advance towards _ State ownership and control. Hero in New Zealand we lvave laboured for a wltolo generation, and have made no progress in temperance reform, simnlv because we have not eliminated private interest. If we set about what Lord Balfour calls the elimination of private interest by ;air and reasonable means,