THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

Northern Advocate, 23 October 1919, Page 2

THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

STATE PURCHASE AND CONTROL

Under the auspices of the Moderate Lt-agu*-' a kcture was delivered iast night in the Town Hall f by the iiev. James Milne, M.A. There was a very small audience, at no time exceeding thirty-five; but the speaker wa 3 given a fair hearing. His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. S. Dent) took the chair, and in introducing the speaker, expressed regret at the smallnt'ss of the audience. The Rev. J. Milne, in referring to the evils oi the drink tramc } dwelt upon the moral and economic issues, and said that with regard to the former there was more general agreement than with the latter. There were three main policies to which brief reference was made. The iirst was the conservative one of "Let well alone," which at most advocated the appointment of inspectors too regulate the traffic. The lecturer felt unable to accept that position of private ownership and said that the system could not be reformed until the element of private profit was eliminated. Then there was the policy in favour of sweeping away the traffic altogether. This the speaker regarded as far too drastic, as the drinking habits of the people were too strongly entrenched for adequate to be given to such an extreme measure. He felt that care wag necessary to obviate legislating ahead of public sentiment. If a measure were adopted before the time was ripe, more harm than good would result. The lecturer then dealt with 'State ownership and control, which was deemed the solution of the problem. The Gothenburg principle of dealing with the liquor question was referred to, and a caution was sounded as t 0 confusing the principle with the partial application of that principle. State control never toad a chance until the outbreak of war. The details of the British experiments in this respect at Carlisle, Enfield, Cromarty and Invergordon, were briefly touched and they were said to be "very successful in every way." The aim was to make the public-house less a drinking shop than a social centre. The chief constable at Carlisle was quoted in support of the experiment his report being to the effect that the benefits were "far-reaching and fundamental." In a specified area the convictions for drunkenness under the first year's working of the Board of Control fell from 953 to 320, and the numbers fell to 80 at the end of the second year.

British well-known ministers of religion were instanced as favouring State control. The Revs. Campbell Morgan, Principal Forsyth, Thomas Vate Sj and J. Monro Gibson were referred .to, the latter haying remarked that State control wag "not. only the best, but the only way." The lecturer advanced several arguments in support of Government control and ownership, the first being that there was no private profit, and there would be no inducement to push the sale of drink. It was also urged that the liquor sold would be pure. The democratic principle of monopolies belonging to the people was also stressed. A great point was made of the contention that under State ownership and control the drink traffic would ibe shorn of all political influence. The lecturer did not favour a controversial attitude, remarking that it did not lead to much that is good. He remarked that the Moderate League decided on State ownership and control three months ago, and he thought it would b e a real, live, vital issue, and the first step in temperance reform. Opportunity was given for questions, but none were forthcoming. The mayor moved a vote of thanks to the lecturer, and th e speaker moved a similar vote to the chairman. Both were carried by acclamation. It is understood that a small committee was formed after the lecture to further the principle of State control. 404