NO-LICENSE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8279, 21 October 1905, Page 5

NO-LICENSE.

The Sly-Grog Shop.

[By "A Moderate Drinker."]

A favourite retort of the Liquor Party is, "If you close up the licensed house, the 'sly-grog shop' will take its place." My reply to this ab3iu*d contention is that the licensed house creates, the sly-grog shopit cultivates the taste for liquor, and the taste for liquor creates the demand for it; but the demand (except in a very limited degree) will die with the crevtor of the taste-the public-house.

Further, the " sly-grog shop " now exists side by side with the licenssd house, and competes with it. . Every man of experience knows this.

And the licensed home alone renders tho existence of the " sly-grog shop " possible. For when a policeman sees a drunken man rolling down the street now, how is ho to know that the liquor was nit lawfully obtained from a licensed house ? But when tho licensed house is closed there will no longer be any room for doubt on this score, and the unlicensed one, or "sty-grog shop," will soon reveal itself in any town, for drunken men—men temporarily deprived of all sense of danger and responsibility—aro neither cunning nor discreet, and if no drunkenness b3 created then little harm will be done. The profits on grog being very large, the temptation to engage in an illicit trade of course is great, more especially as a fine of a few pounds now satisfies the injured dignity of the law. But treat the avaricious, unscrupulous offender as a dangerous criminal—make " sly-grog " selling a penal offence of the first order—rendering the culprit liable to all pains and penalties of the criminal who seeks to endanger or destroy life, then I venture to say we shall hear no more of the "sly-grog seller."

At present, while the State encourages the sale of alcoholic poisons in unlimited doses, that cannot be done, but when we decide — as we are about to do—that strong drink is a danger and menace to health and life, when we sweep the traffic away I see no reason whatever why it should not be done. If one man kills another, he is promptly charged with murder ; if one citizen, by misadventure or indirectly by design, or otherwise causes the death of another, he is at once arraigned on a charge of manslaughter; if a chemist, without conforming to the requirements of the law, supply a person with poison, and that person dies as a result, he is subject to the same charge. Then, why in the name of commonsense should a mm, who in defiance of the laws of the land, and with intent to defraud the public, sells a drug which endangers life and property, and causes death both directly or indirectly, be let off with a paltry fine ? What logical reasons are there—or rather what logical reasons will there be-under " No-License" for exempting the sly-grog-seller from the same consequences—a long term of imprisonment or death, as circumstances might demand? At all the military centres'in South Africa during the late war, all hotelkeepers — all civilians — were prohibited from selling to, or suppling the " Tommies," or rank and file with drink; and, though thousands of men were constantly roaming about ready and most willing to pay almost any price for " a glass," very little trade indeed was done, for the penalty involved was not less than " three months' hard on the hill " for the first offence ! They all knew what this meant, and few indeed were prepared to run the risk. An Englishman, whose wife died at Johannesburg, gave two soldiers, who dug the grave and helped to bury her, a "nip " each, ancl this thoughtless act of kindness cost him £160 to save himself from the usual penalty "on the hill." Strong temptation demancb strong measures to nullify it.

Lastly, only the confirmed drunkard and the man who has no character to lose would run the risk of being trapped in a " sly-grog shop." The great majority of men drink simply because it is " fashionable " to do so ; and while the temptation is constantly before them in the public street, ancl tho poison is lawfully and easily obtained, there is no excuse to abstain—so most men think. But, with the closing of the licensed house, the obnoxious " shouting " system will disappear, and, with it, Drinkdom's right hand supporter will vanish; for those who are unwilling to waste their own money are equally unwilling to cause others to do so; ancl will not be attracted out of their way to patronise the " sly-grog shop," and run the risk of being " run in," no matter how many there may be.

So if three-fifths of the people decide that no grog shops, licensed or unlicensed, are to exist, then we may rest assured they will find means of enforcing their wishes. Th c " Trade " has ruled the country long enough, the people are now determined to rule it themselves, ancl, " where there is a will there is a way." Electors! Do Not Let The " Sly-Grog Shop " Fallacy deter you from STRIKING OUT THE TOP LINE. —Advt,