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


CURED to meet the reasonable cunve
nlence of the public, and res peclively
grant a monopoly 10 each town to
society formed for the purpose of
undertaking the trade, usually FIR a
term of five years. The council re-
talns full control over the operations
of the society, and its books are open
to the inspection of the council. It's
statistics, bylaws, and regulations,
and the appointments in the society's
service, are all subject to the ap
prevail OF the council, and, with the
exception of that of the servants,
must also obtain the royal sanction
and seal. The committee of manage.
ment is formed of a body Of repre-
sentatives, of whom certain proper
ton are now generally elected by the
shareholders, whilst the remainder are
appointed by the municipal council,
and may or may not he shareholders,
or may or may not be municipal
councillors. Usually, however, the
municipal council appoints members
Of his own body to act on the COM
mittee Of management of the society,
which, as at Gothenburg, is not per-
mitted to pay a higher dividend than
8 per cent. to its shareholders.
Mr.. Wilson tells Us that the great
feature in the Norwegian system, and
IN which it differs from that of Goth
enburg, is the destination of the an
nual surplus after paying the share
holders their preferential interest.
The surplus, instead of going into
the local treasury in reduction of the
public burdens, is applied each year
in making pecuniary grants to the
funds of deserving charities, benevo-
lent societies, philanthropic institu-
tions, or other objects of general
utility which are entirely dependent
for their existence on the voluntary
support of the public. Any charity
or institution which derives aid, how
ever small, from the local treasury or
rates is disqualified from participa-
ton in the grants Of societies estab,
lished under the Norwegian system
of local option. The purity of motive
of municipal councils in dealing with
the drink question (which in conse-
quence of the great financial success
of the Gothenburg system is consid-
cred to have degenerated in Sweden)
is thus in Norway retained, and the
licensing authorities are secured
against all temptation to stray from
the principle which should underlie
local option as social reform.
At the time Mr.. Wilson's pamphlet
was written 1S90) there were fifty
one Norwegian societies which con,
Quoted the retailing of ardent spirits
and fifty nine towns with licensing
authority. In five small towns with
collective population of 5000 souls
licenses had been refused to all ap
plicants, and in these places no re-
failing of intoxicating liquors was
permitted. In three other small
towns with collective population OF
1880, societies had not been formed
to monopolize licenses, and the retail
ing of ardent spirits in them was still
conducted by private licenses. The
authority in every town may or may
not grant licenses in its discretion
the same may be said Of rural dis
tricts; in them local option exists anC
is practiced in its most complete
form; in some places few license:
are granted, in others none at all, de
pending on the discretion of the com
munal body Of representatives which
is the licensing authority.
Youths younger than sixteen o,
seventeen years of apparent age ar
not permitted to be served at bars
and females may not be employed a
attendants at them. The bar attend
ants are clad in uniform, each maj
with a number on his collar, like ;
policeman, to enable him to be iden
titled should customer have an.
complaint to make against him, AM
he is not permitted to hand drink t.
anyone in an inebriated state, or t
serve q customer with such a quan
tity as may be anticipated to caus
intoxication. The bars are quit
plainly fitted up, without the slight
est glitter of the gin palace; they ar
kept clean and respectable; no seat
of any kind are provided; no privat
compartments, nor any convenience
for lettering on the premises.
Mr.. Wilson informs us that a
places licensed for the sale Of spirit
must close at o'clock in the after
noon of the day preceding Sunday
and holy festivals, and remain close
until o'clock in the morning follow
ing these sacred days. Licensed PR
misses may not be opened before
} o'clock in the morning, nor keT
} open aften 10 o'clock in the evening
J He states that the experience game
since the Act of the Sd of May, 1877
was passed (which enabled societie
} to compete as applicants for license
: and to hold any number in the optic
of the licensing authority shows col
, clusively that the vice of drunken
, ness has received in Norway a stag
, gering blow, and that the consuml
ton of ardent spirits is immensel
reduced, while great financial result
/ have been attained, to the benefit {
, many deserving institutions, char
| ties and objects of public utilit
, which but for the life thus give
| them could not have otherwise e
;cto4