MR BALFOUR AND THE EETOTAL CRANKS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 693, 18 June 1903, Page 23

MR BALFOUR AND THE EETOTAL CRANKS.

Since the British Prime Minister made hie memorable pronouncement in favour of compensation and against the wholesale dosing of public-house* by the licensing benches, he has been smothered with protests in the form of memorials from the ultra “ temperance ” organisations. The memorialists of the London Auxiliary of the United Kingdom Alliance, after expressing their “ surprise and regret ” at Mm First Minister of the Crown’s reply to the deputation of liquor trade representatives, and their disapproval of his views du the subject of compensation, proceed to point out that because “ the liquor trade is, in its nature and effects, of an exceptional character,” its members have no right to complain of “exceptional risk. of non-continuanceand, after lamenting that the best legal' regulations or the wisest ad mini stration is powerless to deprive the liquor traffic, of “ that injurious tendency which issues in so much deplorable misery, vice, and crime,” conclude with the hope that “ on mature reflection ” Mr Balfour will “ perceive it to be contrary to all precedent and to the public welfare to discourage the justices in their salutary task of promoting public ■obriety by the exercise of their discretionary power over the grant and renewal of -licenses.” But if the United Kingdom Alliance are impudent, the Grand Lodge of English Good Templary is almost choking with vitriolic indignation Of the kind that is peculiar to the shrieking brotherhood. In brief, this righteously indignant Grand Lodge “ most emphatically protests ” against the action of the Premier in his condemnation of the unjust justices ; it records its conviction that there exists no moral or equitable obligation requiring to provide, or in any way to recognise, compensationand criticises Mr Balfour’s speech as one “ deserving the indignant condemnation of every person who believes the public good to be superior to private privilege.” The Executive Committee of the Church of England Temperance Society consider that “if legislation is necessary” the Government must introduce a measure that shall provide for a very considerable reduction in the number of public-houses at the ex-

pense of the surviving licensees—who may find themselves among the dispoaseeeed in the following year ! —and they stipulate further that the scheme shall neither give the publican any further security of interests than he now possesses, nor curtail in any way the power and discretion of the magistrates, nor; put r< any obstacle in the way of future temperance reform when public opinion renders further progress possible.” We (“ L.V. Gazette ”). have yet to leam that public opinion is favourable to the recent attempt to deprive the publican _ of las livelihood at the whim or discretion of professed teetotal Benches; and we would point out to the C.E.T.S. that the existing public indignation, inspired by the Trade and stimulated by statesmen, churchmen, and prominent economists, is all directed to restrict the abuse of magisterial discretion and ensure to licensees some measure of security and some immunity from unbridled persecution. The Jesuitical policy of the Good Templars, which advocates the doing of evil that good may ensue, is foreign to English principle and practice ; and the argument that public sobriety is promoted 'by illegal confiscation of property is not only fallacious, but is as unpopular as is the teetotal conclusion that the man who is foolish enough or criminally-minded enough to venture his capital and' industry in the licensed industry puts himself beyond the pale of reasonable consideration. The U.K.A. may memorialise the Premier, and the E.G.T. may sling their impertinences in his face, but the Trade is assured that in their demands they have a great majoeity of the general public and of the members of the House of Commons on their side, and, as Colonel Gretton remarks, they may rest their case with! great confidence upon that dual basis.

During the proceedings of the Napier Licensing Committee some commotion was caused in the corridor of the Courthouse when the decision of the committee in regard to one of the hotels was communicated to a well-known licensee’s wife, who went into hysterics. x Her weeping rather' disturbed the proceedings for a time.