LICENSING REFORM.
[To THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR."3 SIR,—May I trespass on your space to the extent of a few lines on the following paragraph : "Drastic reforms of the saloons might have prevented Prohibition in America. Public-house reform would do a great deal to stultify the efforts of Prohibi- tionists here," which appeared in your issue of May 29th under the heading, "Prohibition in America "? The sentiments in the above paragraph will meet with the approval of all whe have considered the liquor question, but it is only fair la remember that the need for improvement and reform in public- houses is not altogether the fault of the brewer and the land- lord. Popular opinion almost always blames the landlord for lack of reform and improvement, but during the course of my professional work I have been before licensing benches which have resolutely set their faces against any proposed improve- ment or reform, even in the case of a house sadly in need of alteration, and on which the brewer was willing to spend a considerable sum of money. I have come across licensing justices who never seemed to realize that an atmosphere of cheerful comfort almost imperceptibly brings a feeling of self- respect to the customer, and unconsciously teaches him modera- tion.
But before any real reform can take place it does seem as though some change in the present system of licensing, and the number of licensing restrictions, must be made. The latter must either be removed or considerably modified. It was Mr. Balfour, I believe, who in one of his speeches said he d.oubted whether the long series of legislative enactments regulating the sale of alcoholic liquor "had not been on the wrong lines," and later said, "When a poor man desires lo consume alcohol, even in the utmost moderation, you, for the most part, compel him to go to a house in which you have forbidden, by police and other regulations, anything to take place except the bare sale of food and drink." It is indeed time to reform the public- house, but encouragement must be given the owner and brewer, or at least he must realise that the vindictive legislation of the past is dead.—I am, Sir, tic., A BARRISTER.
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