LIQUOR IN BRITAIN

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 166, 15 August 1929, Page 5

LIQUOR IN BRITAIN

(British Official Wireless).

COMM1SSION SET UP. Treniendous Question To Be Investigated.

(Received This Day, Noont RUGBY, August r4. Tlie highly controversial liquor question is to he tho suhjcct of an examination by a Royal Commission in accordance xvith the promise made in a speech from tlie Tliroxxe after the present Labour Gox-ernmcnt liad taken office. Mr Clynes, Home Secretax-y, announced recently that Loi'd Amulree, formerlv Sir Williain Mackenzie, xvould act as chairman of tlie commission. Loi'd Amulree is one of tlie foremost experts on iudustrial arbitration arnl an authority on law relating to liquor Iicensing. The names of ten members of the commission ax-e noxv announced. The liquor interests xvill be repi'esented by Mr Thomas Skurray, president of the Brexvers' Society, and Mr Jolin Morgan, chairman of the National Councxl of Retail Liquor Trade. Tenxperance associates on the commission xvill he tlie Rev. Henry Cartex; secretai'y of tlxe Temperance Councii cf Cliristian Churclies, and Mr Arthur Sherxvel, wlio has xvritteii much on liquor trade. The other six mexubers include txvo promineut trade uuionists, Sir Edwin Stockton, wlxo is a Manchester mei--chant, a club secretary. Mf Bryson, chairman of the Birnxingham Licensixig Bench, and Mrs Barton, secretary or the Co-operative Wonxen's Guild. Having regard to the importance of the questions involved and the magnitude of tlie interests concerned it is understood that ten more membei-s will be appointed, l'epi'esenting all sides of opinion to reinforce this central balancing body. The terms of x'eference of the commission are, hoxvever, "to inquire into the working of the laxvs relating to the supply and sale of intoxicating liquors and into the social and economic es-pec-ts of the question and to examine and report on the pi'oposals which may be made for amendiifg the law in England and Wales in the public interest." The medical aspect of the question is therefore hardly within tbe scope of the inquiry. The inquix-y is expected to last as long as txxro or tliree vears. It will he for the commissioners to decide whetlier they shall visit tlie United States to see proliibition in practice.