CLUBS AND-THE LICENSING LAW.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11898, 23 May 1899, Page 4

CLUBS AND-THE LICENSING LAW.

The correspondent "-who draws-a comparison this moming- : received by several Working Men'.s** Clnbsfrom the sale of liquor and expended by them in the-purchase-of literature does not appeal to understand' the significance of his own figures. Even if we take the extreme eas&*ofrtiie*lM&&eini Club, which four £B2B from liquor - upon books, there is no-evidence to the institution provided' facihtaes'for " undue drinking "or that.its literary objects} were entirely neglected. The liquor may have been consumed- by 800 members, and' the library may have been so welL stocked at the beginning of the year that tie expenditure of 10s was sufficient to keep- it tolerably well up to date. ' In tie case of the Sydenham- and Addington Club-the expenditure upon, literature appears to have been fairly liberal, while.in- the case of the Ashburton Club the amount reached a-stmi that would not b&- discreditable to a pufoliq library. But it is not-necessary to establish any charge of the kind our correspondent advances, to show the need for bringing clubs of every description under tha ordinary licensing laws of the It would be very much better for these institutions themselves-if they to exactly the same restrictions as are imposed upon the licensed houses. At present they are liable to the rcprtacb. of being nothing better than- privileged; grogshops, and there can bs no doubt that'in some instances the reproach is deserved. But even if they were alt as well-conducted as the inost exacting critic could desire- it woidd still be unfair, to the licensed' victuallers and injurious ■ ta< the best interests of the community t»< allow therti fcocseape the restraints-..that the-Legis]&ture*has«seen fit to place-upon the-sale~of: intoxicants in other places. Mr Seddon has already shown his sympathy with this'view, and we»trust that when he.next attempts tolicensing law he will insist upon- theLegislative Council conceding the- inspection and regulation -of clubs.