DRY AREAS IN SCOTLAND.

White Ribbon, Volume 33, Issue 383, 18 June 1927, Page 2

DRY AREAS IN SCOTLAND.

A PAPER HEAD AT A MEETING OF WANGANUI EAST UNION. Madam, President and Sisters, — The cumulative experience of the dry areas in Scotland is overwhelmingly in favour of No-license, The facts and testimonials from official and accredited sources are absolute and convincing. There are 310 parishes in Scotland in which thenare No-License houses by the will of the Landlord.

The Temperance (Scotland) Act of 1920 placed power of Local veto into the hands of the Ratepayers, and the dry areas now number 34 5. Ref ore that date, the landlords only had the power.

The Areas which were made dry by the will of the Landlord are unassailed by the liquor interest for two

good reasons. The Landlord introduced a prohibitory Claus** in the Land tenures against licensed premises, which binds the owners and occupier for all time. It is also an undoubted fact that no representation has been made to the Landlords by the residents of those Areas to repeal the prohibitory enactment. The Areas which have become dry since 1920 are in a different category. A fresh poll may be taken every three years. The liquor interest therefore d.rect their resources financial md otherwise, to overthrow the verdict of the "Dry Areas," and win them back tc wet conditions. A constant stream of misrepresentations is poured forth. The liquor traffickers fear the object lesson of the dry Areas.

They also fear the Temperance (Scotland) Act, w'hich gives the people their lawful rights to protect the home and the community. They declare the Act to be a failure. One fact alone proves its success, and gives the reason for the deadly hatred of the local veto principle contained in the Act.

The Act was passed in 1913, but a time limit of seven years was given in lieu of compensation. The liquor sellers thereupon started a Mutual Insurance Scheme to compensate dispossessed License holders.

In 1920. 381 licenses were swept away by the first exercise of the power of the Electorate. It cost the Mutual Insurance Company £257,

752 1 3s. s*l. In 1923 further limitation cost them £20,850.

Three years working of the «Act meant an inroad into the Mutual Insurance fund of £284,602. The intense dislike of the liquor traffic to the Temperance (Scotland) Act is shown in tlie fresh endeavour they are making in conjunction with false temperance reformers to susjiend the operations of the Act for a period of eleven years, to secure compensation for the license holders, and to introduce improved public-houses and disinterested management, which are really camouflaged methods of entrenching the liquor business.

The remarkable and conclusive results of the dry Areas are the be*t answer to opponents of No-License. There is n note of joy in all report?.

In the Southern District of Scotland, the Burgh of Stewarton adopted a No-License Resolution in 1920, and after a determined attempt by tin* liquor interest to recapture the town for drink, reaffirmed the No-License Resolution in 1923. It is a town of about 3000 inhabitants, largely dependant on Hosiery manufacture. As a result of No-License: Ist.—The Burg taxes have been reduced 7d. per £; 2nd. Arrests for drunkenness which totalled 43 in three wet years were only 15 in three dry years; 3rd. —Co-operative sales have increased by £6,000 per annum.

In the Midlands, Kilsyth, a mining centre w’ith a population of 8,000. and Kirkintulloch an industrial area with a population of 12,000 became dry in 1920. The resources of the liquor traffic, not of Scotland only, but of the whole country, were concentrated on those towns-—but they achieved a magnificent victory again in 1923. Kirkintulloch.. —The milk consumption goes up and infant mortality goes down. The taxes go down and Savings Bank deposits go up. The rates were reduced 18s. on every £ll rental. The Savings Bank deposits increased £13,000 in two years of No-License. A Municipal Savings Bank was also inaugurated when the tow r n went dry, and £17,393 have been deposited. A profitable kind of employment. Owing to more orderly community, the Town Council were applying for a reduction of the Police force by 25 per cent.

The foregoing are just examples of the great advantages that have couie to dry areas through the closing of public-houses.

Cambuslang, one of the largest parishes in Scotland, with a population of 26,000, should not be forgotten, which has turned publichouses into banks, cleared the streets of drunken men and foul language, transformed hovels into homes.

Women and children first: That should be our main consideration, lu the glorious victory won in the Whiteinch Ward of Glasgow, a populous Shipyard Centre, on December 2nd, 1924, a striking impression was made by a large procession of children on Saturday afternoon before the poll, who cauied on their banners the appeal. "V’ote No-License for me, Daddy." That constitutes an irrestible appeal. To all lovers of children I would say this, that it would be good to have a new generation of children growing up in more wholesome surroundings, who have never seen a public-house or drinking bar. I will now give you an outline of the work done by the B.W.T v V., namely the British Women s Temperance Association or Scottish Christian Union, of which I was a member.

Our Association was formed at Newcastle in 1876. From that point the Association grew', both extensively in new branches all over Scotland, and intensively in sjs*cialised forms of work, and through it and round it all the spirit of loyalty to. and service for Christ. That spirit is animating those to-day who are striving to build on the foundations so well and truly laid fifty yeans ago.

New' lines of w’ork were made necessary by the changed circumstances w'hich arose after 1913. The passing of the Temperance (Scotland) Act, focussed the w’ork towards 1920, the date on which the local veto Clauses became operative. Members of the Association in their various branches had to share in the w'ork of educating the electorate up to the point of voting. Then in 1918 came the Representation of the Peoples Act, giving votes to women. This completely changed the situation and increased the urgency of the in every area that polled in I*lo. and sine** then B.W. has

iote'll faithfully ami intelligently and prayerfully. It might have been thought that ia this special work 'he energies of •jit* Association would be entirely absorbed, but it is interesting to note that since 1913 a Cradle Roll Department has started, and they are now ilittle White Ribboners) a British and girls’ Department. These with V. work, now established riili an Organiser of its own, make it lossible for the young women of the country to he taught Temperance, ,ii<l trahied in the work, the carrying on of which will rest on their Mulders in the future.

V." political events at home laid fresh mi k upon the Association in these iepartmenta, international politics, ind particularly tiie effort internationally to suppress the traffic in itrong drink among native races, av»‘ made our work through the apartment for Native Races and iquor traffic of fresh importance. Ijr deputations, letters, and in every ray possible, the Association has triven to make this attempted Protation effective, and will continue o work strongly in that direction rith the altered political status of romen. A new Department entitled Citizenship has beon found advisable, it* purpose of which is to educate romen to make a full use of their ►pportunitiee as voters, particularly nth a view to the abolition of the irink traffic and its attendant evils tom our land.

From among our number we now »unt J.P’s., members of Town and 'irish Councils, striving for the upift of the people. ’ • The B.W.T.A. (S.C.t T .) is affiliahd the Scottish Temperance Alliance, ‘lidi unite# all Temperance bodies r the purpose of No-License Camligng. The years between the Campaigns tilled with educative work, and > branch meetings, literature disputed. and public meetings held, tount for much in preparing the fround for the intensive Campaigns. The Scottish Women’s Temperance W ws is increasing its circulation, and L ' a means of information on the Pfneral question of Temperance is Cr r*;isinglv influential. The future ‘(’lds many battles for the women of R.W T.A. Rut if there is i (rife evil, there is also much hope lrif i a certain assurance that, though

our victory be delayed, “The enemy in the long run cannot win at ail.” Ten years ago a Scottish Agricultural Society banished the liquor bar from its Annual Show The other day one member moved that it be reinstated. His motion was defeated by a vote of 77 to 45. and It was agreed that no liquor be permitted in the directors' tent or anywhere within the Showyard. Temperance workers are jubilant over the boomerang effect of the motion of the wet.