SAUCE FOB BOTH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 698, 23 July 1903, Page 20

SAUCE FOB BOTH.

Thk argument used by Sir Horatio Davies, MP. for Chatham, regarding the constitution of licensing benches applies with much greater force to this Colony than to England. Sir Horatio’s remarks will be found under a separate heading in this issue, and relate, of course, to the magistracy, from which the licensing authority is drawn. In the Old Country' there are many men on the Commission of the Peace with strong teetotal prejudices, and there are also a large number of people there, as here, who do not particularly mind what measures are passed or what administrative steps are taken to suppress the retail liquor traffic, so long as their convenience or pleasures are not interfered with. These latter, who are chiefly krown under the name of moderates, may, however, be trusted in a general way to see that property is no.t wantonly confiscated, and may be allowed to act in conjunction with others who are known to have an open mind upon the liquor question. No One on our side has suggested that the Trade should be directly represented on licensing benches, and Sir Horatio’s contention is that those who are admittedly the enemies of the Trade ought not to have direct representation either. By direct representation is moantrepresentaby members of their own order, or society, or whatever name the organisation is known by. This argument has been used in this column more than once,, and, as already noted, it Ought to carry much greater weight here than in England. For with us the No-License party have the power to appoint a licensing be. ch wholly composed of prohibitionists.

The party are undoubtedly the ...best organised in the country, and have at their backs the whole influence, of those religious bodies who subsist by voluntary contributions, and. who believe that if less, money we're spent on beer more would find its way into the collection plate on Sunday. The Trade, on the other hand, though its cause is tightly bound up with the larger one of the liberty of the individual, has hitherto received only a tentative and fainthearted support from the general public, which is a large and potent body outside the ranks of fanaticism. It is very easy to draw a harrowing picture of the miseries created by over-indulgence in strong flrink; it appeals to every man and woman of the race ; and it is not much more difficult to make certain delicatelybalanced intelligences believe that the evil in all its horrifying intensity owes its origin to the publican. As well might one argue that the burglar—whose downfall reacts more pa nfully upon his family than does the collapse of the drunkard—owes his degradation to the tradesman who sold him a crowbar and dark lantern L Yet people who are liable to hold, and do enthusiastically hold that the retailer in the liquor trade is the instigator of crime ana immorality, who believe that publicans are not entitled to the privileges conferred by Magna Charta. the Bill of Bights and the Habeas Corpus Act, are permitted to sit on licensing benches, while members of the trade are not allowed to take their places on any bench on which judicial matters are dealt with. How is this thus ? Ihe present arrangements cannot .be the result of the deliberate consideration of the community./For the. best 'class of the people have over and over again promoted publicans to positions of trust and. honour, and;these have invariably justified the people’s selection. We ape inclined to think that much of the unequal and unjust social legislation is due. tyo the craven fear of Ministeis and Members,

who tremble before any compact party however small, just as they have in the presence of the Isitt-Tom Taylor-Bill Richardson phalanx here. We are not asking for trade representation on the Licensing Committee, however, but simply that the bench be cleared of prejudice and intolerance. The people can do this if they will—they will be compelled in their own defence to do it some day—and a strong self-sespecting Government would lead the way.