The Ideal Public=house.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4, 24 July 1912, Page 54

The Ideal Public=house.

In a paper in the “Nineteenth Century,” entitled "True Lines of Temperance Reform,” Mr F. E. Smith, K.C., M.P., sketches Iris own ideal of the publichouse. He says: “ The ideal public-house would be. allowing, of course, plenty of scope for local variations, a commodious and decent building, into which any passer-by might enter and eall for any reasonable kind of refreshment —food or drink, the latter alcoholic or non-alco-holic. He should be able to consume these refreshments comfortably seated in a room well lit, warnled, and ventilated. He should be able not only to smoke, but if he chose, to obtain the materials for smoking also on the premises. The plaee should be so reputable that, whatever his social position, he could enter it openly, and even take his wife and children with him and find suitable refreshment there for them. If he were alone he should be able to call for or purchase in the house newspapers and magazines. If he had any business to transact there should be a telephone on the premises for his use. If he had one or more friends, and the party desired amusement other than conversation, they should be able to call for cards, chess, or dominoes, or quoits and bowls in the country. Or, if they desired more passive amusement, there should ba musie to listen to. The humblest inn could provide an hour or two a day of piano the. richer —the large houses in wealthy towns—could furnish a small orchestra and a vocalist pr two. And there is no reason why dancing should not be permitted under due guarantees of respectability. This is the ideal public-house. Such a house as this would add to the innocent enjoyment of the people, and would be an incentive to temperance and good order. No one •would misbehave himself in such surroundings by drinking to excess, or by any other form of disorder; public Opinion would make such conduct impossible. I pon young people of the working and lower middle classes such a house would exercise a positive influence for good. It would improve their manners, and might improve their morals. They would be better in such a house than in prowling streets and lanes at night, and 'they would avoid that boredom which is the fruitful parent of all kinds of mischief. Can this ideal lie realised? It evidently can. There are difficulties in the way. of course. Has any reform ever been known that has not had to encounter difficulties ?**