THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC AND OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9398, 26 March 1898, Page 2

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC AND OLD AGE PENSIONS.

to the ED'ndii;

Sir,— Why the liquor traffic should dot be ntilised to provide the mnoh-talked-of old agepensions is a mystery to ite. Why : should a few individuals have tlie benefit of a monopoly? Why should not tlie people as a whole reap the benfit ? If the State took over the traffio, ayen the most thriftless would have the satisfaction of knowing, when paying for his pint of beer, that he was contributing to a fund that would provide means for his support in old age, instead of going to swell, the pockets of the monopolist. I would suggest that the State take over the traffic! and establish liquor stores with nothing ■ but standing accommodation, in whatever part of the country they might be re- - quired. The profits arising from the business could be divided in this way :• - Half go to the Government for old age pensions purposes, and the other half to the boroughs or counties in which the' stores were situated, for the purpose 'of . providing reading-rooms, eto., for the pnblic. If this were done, tho occupation of the Prohibitionist would be gone, as there would be no liquor sold during prohibited hours, nor would it be sold to drunken men. The official in oharge of each store would be too careful of hia^ billet to run any risks. From a rough' estimate I should Bay that Wanganni alone would furnish between £15,00Q_ad3 ~ £10,000 a year, so that the revenue derived from all the stores in New Zealand would be something ehormouc. I could mention many ways h}_ which" the people 'would benefit if this system were adopted,. * but for the present I will refrain from doing so. Hoping you will give this a place hi your paper, and thanking you in anticipation, lam, etc., Retomi.