3  2  Experimental  Xealelatlon
a  strong  executive  commission,  framed  somewhat
on  the  lines  of  the  Poor  Law  Commission.  This
body  should  have  the  power  of  authorising  schemes
proposed  by  local  authorities,  and  should  supervise
the  working  of  such  schemes,  and  collect  minute
information  as  to  the  results.  They  would  work
entirely  through  local  authorities,  whether  the
corporations  of  cities  and  boroughs,  or  the  benches
of  Licensing  Magistrates.  Before  allowing  any
very  serious  experiments,  such  as  the  abolition  of
the  public  sale,  the  local  authority  would  have  to
present  evidence  that  the  mass  of  the  inhabitants
was  in  favour  of  such  a  measure,  and  the  Commissioners ­
  would  then  probably  assign  a  suitable
district,  and  authorise  police  regulations  suitable
for  the  most  advantageous  trial  of  the  experiment.
This  method  would  carry  out  to  the  fullest  point
the  idea  of  a  “local  option.”  Free  licensing  might
be  tried  in  Liverpool,  and  such  other  boroughs  as
liked  to  venture  on  such  a  hazardous  experiment.
The  Gothenburg  scheme  would  be  adopted  by
Birmingham  and  a  few  other  towns.  Manchester
might  prefer  the  slighter  measure  of  a  rigid  restriction ­
  and  supervision  of  the  public-houses.  It  is
to  be  hoped  that  Sunday  closing  and  a  lessening
of  the  week-day  hours  would  be  voted  by  many
local  authorities,  and  the  experiment  of  remodelling
the  trade,  as  suggested  above,  ought  certainly  to
be  tried.  I  should  also  like  to  see  some  trial
made  of  the  important  suggestion  put  forward  by