The Thames Star. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JUNE 15, 1908. THINGS IN GENERAL.

Thames Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 10441, 15 June 1908, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. MONDAY, JUNE 15, 1908. THINGS IN GENERAL.

.LICENSING AND OTHER LAiWS.

The licensing regulations on the Continent air© mot very strict, and some opponents of the British, Licensing Bill have been quoting the experience vi foreign counitaies in order to demonstrate that "till© trade" can, conduct litselll reaaionalbly well -without the assMance. of stringent restrictive laws. In Paris there- i's very little in the nature of a. restraint. Publicans, retstauiiainit-'keepera a.nd keepers of cafes have to pay a fee for the light to sell liquor, but every retail trader hais to pay a "patente" before he can en,<ra<re in business. The establishment in which drink is sold may rexnaiin open until 11 p.m., 2 a.m., or all night, ■ according to .the amount of fe« paid. Some Inns and taverns in Berlin are required to close their doors at 11 p.m., buifc other establishments in which akohiolic. drinks are soldl are allowed to remain open tinitiil midnight, 1 a.m., or 2 a.m. [There is a general tendency now to fix*2 a.m. as tih'e limit in all new libenses, :but there are stall a number of establighimenits whlcihi are allowed to remaiin open untill 3 a.m., i a.m., or '5 a.m. Any person may open, a public-house in Belgium and sell alcoholic liquor, a eimiall'license 1 fee haVing to be paiid, except in. the case of houses which .provide beer pnly. Thie resulti is itihat the number of persons dealing in alcoholic liquors is very large There are about 130,000 pulblicliouses in tih'e country bell'inig gin and other drinks, and the number of beer houses is innumerable. Drunkenness is not an offence in Belgium. A' drunken man is locked up by the police, for his own protection, !but is released without further proceedings whein Jie has become fidber. In Vienna iihe hours for 1 the sale of siphvts a.re from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., ibut premises selling beeir and wine may .remain open until 2 ai.m. A" Pill is to be introduced into the Aus-

trian legiailatiure to close the spirit shops at 7 p.m. Cafes in Switzerland are generally open from 6 a.m, uut'l 12 p.m., inolaiding Sundays, .but the hours vajy in Hhe different canitons. Onitlte whole ilt is evident that licensing" 'reform (has madl© littHfe progreaa on the €tantinen/t. The general trend of Itihe laws Seems to be in the directdbn of encic»uinag r.ng the com«umption of beer, which is generally a very light beverage in comparison with EngT'.sh aircl colonial Ibeeir.