PUBLICANS' LICENSES, To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3403, 12 June 1868, Page 3

PUBLICANS' LICENSES, To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross.

gut —Your correspondent "Anti-publican' seems T ery much put out by what «« An Old Publican 1 ' has written about licenses, and assures readers of the Cross that the lowering of the license fee would lead to an increase of crime, pauperism, and misery; most pathetically speaks of a murder that has been committed, under the influence of whiskey, at Todmorden 5 and further, that " publicans ought to be made responsible for all crimes committed under the influence of drink." Now, in my opinion, " Anti-publican" ia wrong in some of his deductions. It is a well-known fact that, in countries where intoxicating drinks may be had at a Tery cheap rate, the inhabitants of those countries are not generally found to be great drunkards. lean remember*. the time when Auckland was , made a free port, when all duties were abolished. Yet during the few months in which this law had an existence, Ido not find that crime was more prevalent, or that pauperism and misery were more universally extended than when high duties were 6 ?t appears that people will have a glass of grog occasionally. Most gentlemen, who can afford it, have a small room in their houses, called a cel ** r ! ' where ii kept a supply of "creature comforts for the use of these gentlemen and their families. Poor people cannot do this : they must content themthemselves with going to a publichouse, where their small wants may be supplied. . In regard to arbitrary prohibitions, they are in moit cases of little or no avail. Such laws would be evaded, at the duty laws of the present day are sometimes put aside by merchant* j and a universal system of crime-producing smuggling would ensue. What, then, would become of our Governments? Certainly, a very Urge item of their income is derived from the duties paid on intoxicating drinks and publicans' licenses. Yet your friend "Antipublican" would have this vast, this ever-flowing stream cut off. Has he ever seriously thought of the consequences that would inevitably follow the introduction of such a sweeping measure ? L*>* "Anti-publican" pause and think over these matters before he again addresses the licensed victuallers.— 1 am, &c., A, Licensed Viowai£eb, \ ' ' t . YulgKly called PubUoaja..