The Licensing Question

Southland Times, Issue 19001, 21 March 1903, Page 4

The Li censing Question

To tho Editor. Sir,— lt is not necessary to read between tho lines to see that your correspondent "Equity" means to hoodwink the public. lie professes to bo much exorcised about the comfort of tho travelling public and the accommodation which should await them. Nobody has a word to say agginst good accommodation and plenty of it for travellers. Hut this is really not tho concern of

•'Kquity" at all, us ho at once raises the bogey of loss of revenue. This shows what he is driving at. Ho wants liquor bars, and that is tho burden oi liia U-tter. When a publican petitions for ft license he, in the most unselfish spirit, says it is to accommodate the public. But surely his memory is not so short as to .forget, that at the recent poll, threa out of every live electors, declared that they wished lo have done with it- "Equity" calls tho liquor business a "most necessary trade." That may be his opinion ; but 3071 electors at the ballot boxes have dismissed it for good and all. They don't fear sobriety and the absence of intoxicating liquors. What they want ia, that the will of the people should be carried out. But evidently "Equity" does not wish this, as this "most necessary trade" should suffer. Well, how is this "most necessary trad©" regarded say, by the press. The drink bill went up last year. Did tho press congratulate the publicans on the fact that tho people had drunk more liquor, and generally on tho prosperous character of their business ? The press is ever ready to notice a good year in trade, o g., in

grain, in wool, In timber, iv frozen meat, etc., and looks upon this state of things as a sign of good times. liut when did you ever hear the press congratulate tht> publicans on their larger sales of liquor, and the peoplo on their increased drinking capacity ? Nor did I ever read of the press condoling and sympathising with the publican if his sales fall off. If it is a "most nece«sary trade," as "Equity" says, it is singular, at least, that ho should be so differently treated from others. We are quite willing to leave tho fate of the liquor traffic to the judgment of the peoplo. — I am, otc.

To the Editor

Sir,— Your correspondent "Equity 1 ' evidently holds a brief for the hotelkeepers, but makes out a -poor case. His contention 19 that bars must be continued in order that accommodation may bo found for the travelling public. If tho demand were so urgent one would imagine that a leading hotel in Esk street would have been rebuilt long ere this— but no, the house accommodation has gone, the bar remains. Tt is when

"Equity" states that the hotel industry is as imuch an industry os furniture mnJcing that his letter becomes amusing. Furniture is a tangible asset— drink is a waste and worse than a waste. Let us now see how "Equity's" plea for retention of licenses works out for the borough. Invercargill and suburbs has a population of 11,159, who consume in the aggregate £3 11s worth of liquor each. We therefore have this sum :■— 11.159 people consuming £3 11s worth* of liquor represents £39,614 Less revenue from licenses ... £1005 Leaving a loss of £38.609 Besides the indirect loss of police supervision, etc.. in the attempt to control tho traffic. From these figures it will be seen that Invercargill expends £38,009 in order to secure a revenue from licenses of £1005, and yet "Equity" says we ought to retain tho licenses in order (Ist) to provide accommodation for travellers, and (2nd) in order that the municipal revenue should not suffer. There are at the present time (exclusive of those electorates which have recently carried prohibition) I*A counties and boroughs, representing a population -■ of 25,722, which have no licenses, and yet they manage to pay their way, n.nd Invercargill can do the same either with reduced licenses or with <he whole of the licenses, swept away. Iv regard to loss sustained by employees, there would bo no loss in regard to those who are employed in attending to the !iouse accommodation, as, according to "Equity's" own showing, there is a large demand for this. Barmen and barmaids would, however, have to seek other employment, which ahottld foe no great hardship.— l am, etc.,

AHGUS