A DISGRACEFUL SCENE.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 29, 28 August 1905, Page 4

A DISGRACEFUL SCENE.

A flood of light is thrown on tbe working of partiul prohibition of the liquor traffic by rectnt experiences in tue West of Scotland Satuiday, Bth July last, being Fair Saturday at Greenock and Port Glasgow, all tbe publichouses in tbe two towns were compulsonly closed under the new Licensing Act. As a result of this prohibition there was a great usb of holiday makers at Gourock, farther down ihe Clyde, and tbe scenes of drunkenness tbat were to be witnessed there seem to have almost baffled description. We quote from tbe Glasgow Herald :— " The publicans hud rutin p tation^d at tiife doora regulating the traffic. This apparently bad little effect in stemming tbe tide, for men and women in various staged of intoxication were soon observed staggering about tbe strceto. At three o'clock the public-bousea iv Shore s.rfcet were closed, aud abuuL nine o'clock at night thy licen<L< holders in tbe other parts of tbe towu were forced to shut their promises. Early in tbe afternoon tbe olice cells were full and the police decided to allow drunks' to sleep off their debauch where they bad fallen. Tbo effect of this was seen particularly in Shore street, tbe green there being black with recumbent figures of intoxicated men. Many drunks uleu sprawled along the sea front at Ashton. There was considerab c fight ing, men having the clothing well nigh torn off them, and women also taking part in disgraceful brawls."