13 JANUARY 1917, Page 3

It will be perfectly safe for the promoters of Purchase

to pledge themselves to automatic reduction in the number of public-houses. No one, except under a system of insane com- petition, could desire to see half-a-dozen public-houses round one village green. Businesslike State management would automati- cally reduce the number of licensed houses- by many thousands in the first year, and by a substantial number in succeeding years. Again, under the Purchase system local option would become automatic.