MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1901. REFORMS IN GEE AT BRITAIN.

Manawatu Standard, Issue 7059, 19 July 1901, Page 2

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD.

FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1901. REFORMS IN GEE AT BRITAIN.

AN o k |!) POHANGINA GAZETTE. JUAEANTEED LAEGEST CTECULATION IN THE DISTEICT.

So much has been said and written of the liquor traffic in this colony that it is interesting to read of the Bishop of Chester's experience in England. He has after years of thankless'labour succeeded in placing his "People's Kefreshment Houses Association" on a thoroughly sound footing. Last year, with only seven small inns under his control and less than £5000 engaged in the business, it earned a net profit of £1107. Encouraged by this result Earl Grey has come to the assistance of the Bishop with a wider scheme, and pro- ' poses to reform the public-houses on lines which will combine business principles with philanthropic motives. He intends fo inaugurate Trust Companies for London and the provinces, the object of the companies being to acquire every new license created, and as many old ones as possible, in.order to administer the houses for the benefit of the community and not for private profit. The Eml is, in fact, trying, to transplant the Bergen system to British soil. In the houses acquired by the companies the manager will receive no commission on the sale of intoxicants, but will receive a commission, in addition to a fixed salary, on the sale of food 'and non-intoxicants. The public-houses will be refreshment places rather than drinking bars. The surplus profits, after allowing a sufficient sum for reserve and interest, not exceeding five per cent, oil the invested capital, will be administered by carefully selected trustees, for the benefit of the conimuuity. Companies have been formed in various parts of. the Kiiigdom, and some of them are already in actual operation. Glasgow has started one, with a capital of £25,000, and a number of -prominent men are acting as trustees. Northumberland leads in England with ,a Northern Pubhchouse Trust Company with £100,000 of share capital, and Earl Grey, the Duke of Northumberland, Sir Edward Grey, the Mayor of Newcastle and the President of the Northumberland Miners' Association among the members of the Council. There ar e also companies under strong management in Hampshire, Essex, Durham, Hertfordshire» Northamptonshire, Notts and Surrey, as well as London, Leeds, Edinburgh and Paisley.