LIQUOR TRADE IN THE KING COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12256, 28 April 1903, Page 4

LIQUOR TRADE IN THE KING COUNTRY.

We insert to-day a letter from Ongarue on sly grog-selling in the King Country which deserves very careful consideration. We may say that we. have had to leave out some portions of the letter referring to profits made by certain individuals and their doings, which it would not be safe to publish. But what we give is sufficient to show that a bad state of affair's exists, which must shock every right-thinking person. We believe the statements made are in no way exaggerated. The writer is not a Prohibitionist emissary, and we believe has no bias except a desire to see a most disgraceful state of affairs done away with. The sly grogselling, he says, is growing, and is doing much harm. To quote: — "They seem to-do what they please —sell liquor or poison at any time." The gale is freer than at a licensed house, as drink can be procured all night. Nothing is being done to remedy this state of affairs. : Our correspondent asks for policemen and detectives. If that could stop this most demoralising traffic we would say by all means let the policemen and detectives be tried. But it is admitted that to impose a fine when a case is proved is simply no remedy at all. The trade goes on more briskly than before because the traders have to make up the amount of the fine. So far as we see there are only two ways in which this great evil can be dealt with. The first is the policemen and detective plan. But that has been tried for years past, and our correspondent's letter is a proof that it * has failed. We cannot afford to fill the country with policemen and detectives and keep them there in permanence. And then a raid at long intervals is of no use whatever. Would it not be well to consider , whether the King Country might not be placed in the same position as other parts of the - colony % In the area referred to by our correspondent there would probably be three hotels. The owners of those hotels would have a considerable amount at stake, and it would be to their interest strictly to obey the law. They could also be easily kept up to the mark by even the three policemen who are said to be in the district, but whom the unlicensed grog sellers can easily evade-. We are forced to the conclusion from-the experience of the last ten years that, with the present population of the King Country, it is simply impossible to stop the sale there of the most poisonous alcoholic compounds. Is this demoralising state of affairs to go on for ever ?