The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORM PATHIA." SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 41, 3 August 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORM PATHIA." SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1872.

This tendency of (he age is certainly towards democracy. lu other words, the majority ot' Avery community has a right to legislate in their own interests regardless of those who differ from them in opinion, or whose interests may happen to be antagonistic. The Permissive Bill may be taken as an example in support of the justice of this statement. It is intended by the Bill introduced by Mr. to give two-thirds of the inhabitants of any district the power to close all public houses within its boundaries; the arguments used in support of the measures are, that a very great proportion, of the crime, misery, poverty aud degradation arises from the excessive use of iutoxicating drinks. We are prepared to. admit this, but cannot coincide in opiui'on with those who are in favour of meeting the attempt to stamp the evil out by Act of Parliament.. History abundantly proves — if any proof beyond personal observation is coercion has; almost invaiiabiy the ei&ct- of making the coerced obstinate and. more persistent than ever iu pursuing the- course attempted; to be interdieted. If the public-houses were d Bed to-morrow in any district the eflscfc would b& without doubt that a of sly grog-shops would spring up in their places x Under the existing system we have gome check over the conduct of the houses in which intoxicating drinks are dispensed ; this would not be the case if licensed houses were done away with, and in addition the temptation to sell bad liquor at a high price would be very great. It would be a natural sequence

that the sly grog-sellers would try to realise as large a profit as possible previous to detection in order to be able to pay the penalties the law would bo eei tain eventually to inflict. Men who have a passion for drink would procure it at any 00.->t, the thirst for alcohol being just as much madness as any other form of hallucination. When habitual drunkenness is treated as a disease in place of a crime there may be some hope of seeing- our thoroughfares freed from the pitiful sights which even in small villages occasionally meet the eye. If the agitators for the Permissive Bill and other descriptions of coersive measures had applied their energy and the money they hare expended in forming a fund to be applied to tho building of a hospital for dipso-maniacs, they would at least have affected some little good. They might also agitate for a more careful supervision of the liquor sold by publicans. In many c;ises, it is not the quantity of the liqnor swallowed, but the pernicious drugs with which it is " doctored " that undermines the constitution of our drinking classes. The ver < y leant punishment that should be inflicted on any publican found with adulterated liquor in his possession, or the materials with which to poison it, should be two years' imprisonment with hard hibour. Jf the advocates of the I'ermisaive Bill would make it their business to secure the prosecution of dishonest publicans they would be much more likely to effect good than by attempting to coerce the population iuto soberness.