LICENSING LEGISLATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2423, 11 February 1909, Page 5

LICENSING LEGISLATION.

AUSTRALASIAN SYSTEMS COMPARED. A WEST AUSTRALIAN REPORT. United Press Association. Copyright (Received Feb. 10, 6.30 p.m.) PERTH, Feb. 10. "Mr. Carson’s report on the licensing legislation of Victoria,. New South Wales, and New Zealand, presented to Parliament, says that the Victorian system, though bureaucratic in form, lias proved an admirable working machine for closing up the worst bouses. These have to go from districts where the licensed bouses are thickest,. while under the Now South ' <*v* Wales system of local option reduction is carried in districts whore there are so few public-houses that one more or less hardly, affects the temperance or intemperance of the community. As regards New Zealand, Mr. Carson acknowledges the rapid strides made by the no-license movement, and admits that there is a prospect of the licensed trade being wiped out altogether at no very dis- < taut dale. He claims, however, that the system is still on its trial. Hitherto the experiment has been confined to comparatively small towns. He says that not until one of the four complete metropolitan areas, with all its suburbs, comes under no-license, can the experiment be regarded as having been thoroughly tested. He admits that in no-lieeuse towns there is less open drunkenness, and that the removal of open means of temptation tended to wean some men from their old habit. On the other hand evidence, he says, is conclusive that the aggregate quantity of liquor consumed has been practically unaffected, that much drinking still gees on in no-license districts, tna-t the closed bar had taken the place of .tlie open bar, that there is more secret drinking, more drinking in the houses of tlie people, that where license districts arc contiguous to no-license districts much drinking precipitates from the latter into the former, that tlio strength of tli© no-license vote is accounted for by the enthusiasm and splendid organisation of tlie temperance party and woman’s social influence. It is pointed out that the concerto result of the New Zealand system does not compare favorably with that of the Victorian. After three years’ strenuous no-license campaign about 150 houses would be closed throughout the Dominion, and not the worst houses at that. More had 1 been done in Victoria in 18 months, with this supreme advantage, that the worst houses have been closed, while reduction proceeded steadily by 'judicial process.