The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-10-15

u III .JfAilCtA ~ al AA1AAArS A'tAN -
pondIng Increase III the amount OF /
vines aud ales consumed, whilst |
drunkenness has markedly decreased. |
He says, however, that the VINE ana |
beer shops have proved great OBJ !
stace t. the Completeness OF the So |
cietiea' work, and that most OF these |
have opened a special fund, TO which /
portion Of the annual profits Is ap-
piled, for the purpose Of buying up
the privileges to sell wines and ales
that are held under Crown grants.
There is little doubt, he adds, that 80
soon as the last existing privilege to
sell wines and ales independently Of
a license from the municipal council
ceases to exist in a Norwegian town
the private licensees of that town are
doomed to see all the municipal
councils licenses monopolized over
their heads by the societies. The
public will never again permit licen-
ses to be granted to private individ-
uals, inasmuch as they are unable to
compete with a society 10 offering
advantages to the public in return
for the privilege OF a license.
1t will be observed, says Mr.. Viii
son, referring to the tables, in the
report Of the society in Bergen for
retailing ardent spirits that the share
holders benefit was restricted to g.,
l40l, in 13 6 50 years; that the item
of 30I, is for six weeks interest at 5
per cent. per annum on the capital
from the date of the call, prior to
70 +hn l,1nncnc
on the 18th of January, 1887; that
the municipal treasury received in
the thirteen years 25,l85l. of excise
duty and 5,120l. of ordinary com
munal taxes; and that the public
gained 1861, that sum having been
earned for the benefit of 50 local in
stitutions, charities, and other OBJ
jects of general public utility. In
other words, the society has earned
every year in behalf Of the public an
average profit of 127 per cent. on its
capital since it commenced its opera
tons. The indirect gain to the pub
lie from the society's beneficial work
is stated to be perfectly incalculable.
| The visitor to Bergen who walks
along the mountain road above the
city-the Fjeldvei, as it is called
CONSTRUCTED with funds provided
by the society for retailing ardent
spirits, and panningly called in con-
sequence the Dram Road or who
takes a walk in the handsome, we'll
laid out Nygaard Park, also chiefly
provided out of the profits of the So
ciety, can readily understand what
an important influence such benefits
exercise in elevating the taste and
improving the condition of the mass
es, and in leading them away from
temptations that existed in the days
of uncontrolled licensed publicans.
When we think, continues MIR. Will
son, of the society's artisans dwell
ings, of the laborers' waiting rooms,
of the coffee houses sprung from the
society's work, Of its contributions to
museums, of the workmen's lectures,
clubs, reading rooms, theatre, etc,
besides the host of other benefcent
objects, it is not difficult to under
stand why it is that English visitors
to Bergen are impressed by the we'll
to do look of the population, the alb
sence of drunkenness, beggary and
squalid misery, and the we'll clad and
well-nourished appearance of the
meanest member of the community.
There is not in Bergen, or in other
Norwegian towns, a 1.-THE Of the
wretchedness, squalid misery, power
ty, and drunkenness, which IS, alas!
to be found in British towns of sim
liar size. There can be no question
that the difference is due in no small
degree to the fact that in Bergen the
sale of ardent spirits is strictly con
trolled, whilst in British towns such
is not the case. This marked con
trast between two nationalIties
, living under very similar climatic
, conditions, and closely allied by
blood, cannot fail to impress itself on
, the minds of all who are intimately
, acquainted with the people and cir
cumstances Of both countries.
} Mr.. Wilson has supplied US in his
, interesting pamphlet with much foo6
, for thought. 1t is for US to consider
) whether we cannot extract from the
facts be has given us something
! which may be of benefit to our
=. selves. Doubtless the circumstance:
of Norway and of Great Britain are
not identical. That which is gooC
! for the one need not necessarily b'
: suitable for the other-indeed tht
presumption is in the opposite direc
2 ton; but still, when all allowance i!
= made for the essential differences be
= tween the two countries, if Norway
! has in so large measure regenerat
ed its population by the regulation o
:, the drink traffic, it ought not to be i'm
possible for Great Britain to discove
- some effective means of freeing itsel
:. from the national bondage to thu
: demon of strong drink, which Grip
: pies its energies, forces down larg,
;. sections of its people into the slough
:, OF degradation, vice, and misery, ant
. binders the upward flight of its pop
+ ulation towards the higher regions o
!. morality and civilization.-M Meath
in Nineteenth Century.