Report of the Committee on Intemperance for the Convocation of the Province of York, presented and received.

Church of England. Province of York. Convocation. Committee on Intemperance.

Date:: 1874

Credit: Report of the Committee on Intemperance for the Convocation of the Province of York, presented and received. Source: Wellcome Collection.

317/394 page 295

$Qy. \V\mt ivmcdial mtasnves against nlempettinet) can you suggest ? 2438. I would strongl)' support the passing of the Permissive Bill; in other words, letting the pubhc say, by the vote of a fair majority, whether the public want Public-Houses. Why should a seltish minority, largely made up of the intemperate, impose a demoralizing system upon a sober and peaceable majority ? As an instalment, I should say greatly lessen the number of Public-Houses, and close them on the Sundays. Why should the vendor of an intoxicating, drunkard-making article be allowed a privilege from which the vendors of necessary articles of food, clothing, &c., are, on account of the sacredness of the day, rtghtly excluded ? We need to dig much deeper than we have done,'and to root up the hquor interest in the municipal bodies and in the Legislature of the country. All efforts for the suppression of the evil are continually strangled by a sort of municipal and political infanticide.—Oh. 82. 2-439. Diminishing the number of Public-Houses; shortening the hom-s for the supplying of drink; more thorough and competent inspection ; but I am most strongly of opinion that higher education, more comfortable houses, and well-organised working men's clubs will have a far greater effect in diminishing intemperance than any direct means.—K. 95. Sii{igestio))s of Magistrates. Qy. What remedial measures against intemperance can you suggest 1 2440. Fewer houses, there being a fixed maximum of the number of houses allowed to a certain j)opulation ; shorter hours, an early horn- for closing every night: total closing to neighbours on Sundays for the sale of drink to be drunk on the premises ; better supervision, both as to the mode of conducting houses and as to adulteration, also power to deal with habitual drunkards as being ]>ro tnnto insane.—2,274. 2441. The aboUtion of the Beer-House system ; a reduction in the number of Public-Houses, in the determination of which the ratepayers should have a voice ; inspection of the quality of liquors sold ; the punishment of publicans for admitting men in a state of intoxication, or for permitting any one on their pi'emises to exceed the bounds of temperance.—2,283. 2442. I should recommend that (1) greater powers should be given to magistrates to deal with offences at Public-Houses, so as to reduce their ftximber where too many exist; (2) a stricter$