Mr. Balfour, who followed Mr. Asquith, denounced the measure strongly
as predatory in its nature. He declared that in order to combat intemperance reliance must be placed on an improved public opinion. It was very difficult to show any real connexion between the number of public-houses in a district and the amount of intemperance, and therefore it would not be wise to base any great hopes on the mere reduc- tion of licenses. The Government were proposing to destroy the legal property of a very large and not undeserving class without any prospect of a great moral result. Mr. Balfour went on to criticise the new compensation scheme, which he regarded as unjust, and he declared that the time-limit of fourteen years, during which a compensation levy was to be paid, and during which the holders were also to insure, was "grotesque." A man might be reduced to beggary by the scheme. What the Government called insurance he called robbery. The limited effect which the Bill might have upon drunkenness would be more than counteracted by the increase of clubs. The result of the legislation would be to transfer the consumption of liquor from premises over which the police had control to premises over which they would really have none. After a good deal of miscellaneous criticism had been made, the Bill was read a first time without a division.
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