The Hon. Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G.

Sir Robert Stout, ex-Premier of New Zealand, is a distinguished Scotsman, who at present occupies the position of Chief Justice of the Colony, and has done more than any other man to place the land of his adoption in the favourable position it now occupies on this question.

We much regret to say that since giving his consent to write for us, Sir Robert has been seriously ill. In the circumstances we are greatly indebted to Lady Stout, who has most willingly taken her husband's place and prepared for the National Council this very able and convincing paper.

t is with the hope that the following statements of fact of what has taken place in reference to the Drink Problem in New Zealand may be an encouragement to Y.M.C.A. men throughout Scotland, that this pamphlet is issued by the Temperance Committee of the Scottish National Council of Y.M.C.As.

In New Zealand there were many attempts made to minimise the evils of the drink traffic and to regulate the sale of alcohol, before the Local Option Bill became law. None of these measures, however, gave the power to the people to vote for or against the sale of intoxicants. The granting and refusing of licences was left in the hands of a Licensing Committee in 1881, who had the power to refuse licences in cases where the hotels were badly conducted or insufficiently provided with accommodation for lodgers, or on the petition of a majority of the residents in the neighbourhood. The Committee had also the option of refusing licences if they considered the licence was not required.