LICENSING LEGISLATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19832, 30 December 1927, Page 12

LICENSING LEGISLATION.

Sir, —The hopelessness of the prohibition party as an instrument for effecting temperance reforms was trenchantly expressed in these columns yesterday by Mr. John W. Warren, of Hamilton, when lie stated that the vision of the prohibitionist leaders is too stunted to see the benefit of regulation. Indeed, it- is not logical on the part of the public to expect anything temperate from so intemperate a body as the New Zealand Alliance, with its paid propagandists to reply to any public expression of opinion on the liquor question which does not happen to favour the extremist-doctrine of abolition. Unfortunately, the issue has so far been left largely to two extreme parties, but signs are not wanting that the public is tired of the ceaseless and sonseless warfare, and would welcome some real reforms in place of the mere "rimmings staged for stage purposes to late. Considering the obsolescence of our present system, and the need for a root and branch overhaul, there are very good grounds for the sending of a commission abroad to study and report upon systems of control in other countries, notably in Sweden, Denmark and other small countries that have experimented to some purpose of lato years. I have read fairly extensively of these modern systems, and it seems to mo that the best is the one wherein the profits from the sale of liquor and liebnses go toward the upkeep of hospitals, gaols, reformatories, parks, playing areas, etc.; the second best is where tho profits are used for the relief of local rates. Tho main feature, however, is that in tho sale of alcoholic liquor the factor of private gain as an inducement to increase the sale of consumption of such boveragos must be entirely eliminated. It has been done in soiree countries, and can be repeated in this Dominion, but firstly we will have to Show decisively we do not want prohibition nor legislators who are the nominees of either the Alliance or the trade. When we have done'this we shall have paved the way for such reforms as shall bring our liquor laws up to an equality with our general social legislation. Thos. E." McMillan. Matamata, Dee. 29.