HOTEL LICENSES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 53, 11 September 1928, Page 10

HOTEL LICENSES

(To tho Editor.", Sir,—The daily wordy warfare, between the liquor interests and the Prohibition Party has so familiarised the public maid with then; respective points of view that the public may be pardoned for thinking that all is said on the liquor question that can be said. This is by no means the case, however. There are still some aspects of the liquor question to be ventilated. lam one of thousands who re-. »ard the moderate use of liquors as beneficial, but who, on account ot the higji cost are compelled to be teetotaller. Part of this high cost is duo to tho heavy taxation imposed on alcoholic liquors by the Government, and passively accepted, or actively instigated by the liquor interests. The Prohibition Party also is not free from this charge. At least, I have never heard or read o£ their denouncing the Government for raising so unjust a share of tho national revenue from this source, lo the reduction and limitation of licenses is due the balance of the high costs of alcoholic liquors. The Prohibition Party is mainly responsible for this. But reduction of licenses has had little or no effect on the annual consumption or liquors. The values of remaining licenses, however, have increased so enormously that a huge monopoly has been created. The "Trade" is now in few hands, thoroughly consolidated, and with ample fighting funds. I suggest to the members of the Prohibition Party that they should take up the question of taxation of licenses on their true annual value. Not a miserable £40 per. annum, but in the case of the large hotels something much higher. The "Liquor Trade" is not a vested interest. Each license is granted annually at the discretion of the Licensing Committee. Why should public privileges be given away for £40 that are worth thousands? Failing this, let us revert to the granting of licenses to any respectable person applying for one. In the resultant competition we may then get cheaper and purer iiquors.—l am, etc., FREE TRADER.