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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 75

"No Licence" and Its Effects

"No Licence" and Its Effects.

Despite the defective enforcement of law in Clutha, the district under "No Licence" shows a wonderful result in comparison with the conditions existing there prior to the hotels being closed. The police prepared a return under orders from the Commission. It is worthy the study of social reformers everywhere. The hotels were closed in Clutha on June 30, 1894. For three years and a half before that date the total number of convictions recorded were 243. For three years and a half since, up to December 31, 1897, the total number was 90. Seeing that the prohibition only applies to hotel sales, the following summary goes to show that a more stringent enforcement of the law would completely abolish crime in Clutha:—
Summary of Convictions for Drunkenness and Allied Offences.
3½ Years of Licence 3½ Year of No. Licences
Abusive Language 1
Drunkenness 130 6
Assaults 11 1
breaches of the Peace 16 2
Disorderly and Riotous Conduct 9 1
Disturbing a Congregation 5 1
Cruelty to Animals 3
Obstructing and Resisting the Police 4
Obscene and Profane Language 11 7
Threatening Language 4
Lunacy 7 2
Vagrancy 1
Indecent Exposure 1
Totals 203 20

Not only has crime generally shrunk in the ratio approaching the decrease in drunkenness, but vagrancy, indecent exposure, threatening language, cruelty to animals, and obstructing the police, are offences which do not appear in the calendar for the three and a half years since the hotels were closed If more drink is consumed in the Clutha since "No Licence" was voted, where are the evidences?

I could quote case after case to show the dangerous moral tone of the police administration during the past seven years similar to those already given, but space forbids. A considerable batch of the men whose drunken habits I specially referred to when speaking on this matter in the House of Representatives last year have since been dismissed. The new Commissioner, who is worthy of every confidence, is a direct product of the attack upon the Department of last year. There can be no doubt that his appointment was made in the page 328 hope that it would stave off an investigation into the Department; when that hope was not realised, every effort was mad? to render the inquiry abortive. Between the appointment of the Royal Commission and the taking of evidence over seventy policemen of various ranks were promoted, equal to about a seventh of the complete force. The lack of promotion had been a strong grievance with the men, and many men who desired to prefer a complaint about delayed promotion were amongst my witnesses in support of other charges against the administration; but their promotion sealed their lips.