A LOCAL OPTION BILL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 215, 8 June 1877, Page 10

A LOCAL OPTION BILL.

A Local Option Bill, affecting every part of New Zealand, is a question of general interest, and in which all are concerned. This is our reason for referring to the meeting held on this subject in Duuedin on last Tuesday evening.

It would be idle and foolish to occupy time and space with arguments to prove the enormity of the crime of drunken* ness, and tbe frequency of the commission of this crime. But there can be no doubt that both the drinking of spirituous liquors and drunkenness are social and moral evils of the first magnitude. This is conceded on all hands, and the only question is, how can, these evils be prevented or, at least, abated ? The answer of the Dunedin meeting of last Tuesday is, give us " A Local Option Bill," and something, even much, will be done to lessen these evils. We doubt this very much, and are rather inclined to think that, if brought into operation at all, such a Bill would aggravate the evil. Nor is it clear to us that such a system is practicable. Must there be two thirds of the registered ratepayers against granting licenses in a district, or will two-thirds of those who vote suffice ? This is a very important inquiry. It is well known that on all occasions of popular elections or voting two-thirds of the registered electors hardly ever come to the Poll. It is also wellknown that a very few active persons can easily manipulate a majority to favour their own interested purposes. In this way national jealousies and antipathies may be roused — nay, would inevitably bo roused, and not only would grievous injustice be done to individuals, but the peace and sweet charities of neighbourhood seriously compromised for years. Of course anticipations as to results can be little else than conjectural on both sides, that is, on the part of both opponents and advocates of such a measure — experience alone can decide between them. But is it wise to run a great risk for the sake of the small advantage to be hoped for ? It seems to be idle to expect to make men sober by Act of Parliament authorising two-thirds in localities to prevent the granting of licenses, whilst tbe private manufacture of fermented liquors is possible, and spirituous drinks can be procured in adjoining neighbourhoods. A Local Option Bill appears to us Utopian. But there are things which legislation can do aud ought to do. It could prevent, if not altogether, at least almost altogether, adulteration, which is the greatest cause of the many miseries so eloquently deplored by the various speakers at this meeting ; it could punish drunkenness iv a more rational manner than it does at present ; it could so punish the drunkard as to stamp on him tbe brand of infamy, and it could easily reduce the number of licensed houses, which all admit is very much too large at present. If it were possible to frame an Act of Parliament that would certainly put a stop to drunkenness, we should without hesitation advocate such an Act ; but as this cannot be, we hold that care should be taken, lest in endeavouring to remedy the evil, the only effect produced should be an aggravation of it. "We entertain a profound distrust of all proposals to effect moral and social reformation by majorities resulting from the use of the ballot-box. Such a result is generally nothing more than tbe outcome of multiplied ignorance and wide-spread inexperience, of passion and unreason, of prejudice and religious antipathy. Some people look upon a majority, no matter how obtained, as something heavenly, but only, however, when it happens to be ou their own side ; and we have always remarked that the great advocates of popular elections ou all subjects are precisely the men who think majorities will be always found favouring their own views. They never advocate the popular vote on subjects in reference to which they feel they would be hopelessly in tbe minority. The agitation in favour of a Local Option Bill is a case in point. If these men thought that two-thirds of the ratepayers in localities would certainly or even probably approve of the establishment of licensed houses for the sale of intoxicating drinks in their neighbourhoods, would they advocate a Local Option Bill r It is clear they would not. It is also clear, therefore, that they do advocate such a measure because they think it would secure the carrying out of their views. The regulation of tbe liquor trade is a subject that should be discussed and settled by men competent to undertake the task, and not by chance majorities in localities. It should be settled on well-defined general principles, and not in accordance with the ever varying •caprice of an unstable multitude.

A strange death occurred at Linden on Saturday last, which should afford a warning to persons engaged in the care of children. An infant, fifteen months old, swallowed a screw -nail with which it had been playing, and died in a short time afterwards.