210 FOKESTRY IN LITHUANIA. 



resolved to take efficacious measures to put an end to this 

 sad state of things, and it hopes that you will aid it in 

 discovering the method of doing this without injuring the 

 revenue." 



' The first resolution of our experts, which was carried 

 with only five dissentients, was in favour of giving to 

 the communes the right to open communal public-houses. 



'The second point decided by the commission was in 

 favour of a reduction of the number of public-houses. 

 It was resolved that the Zemstvos and municipal councils 

 should have the right to decide the number, the size, 

 and the type of public-houses in their locality ; the right 

 to issue licenses for commissions to be reserved to a 

 special licensing board, composed of justices of the peace, 

 members of the delegates of the Zemstvos, marshals 

 of the noblesse ; and the normal proportion of public- 

 houses to population to be 1 to 1000, which is equivalent 

 to closing about two-thirds of the existing places of sale. 

 The Zemstvos are to have the right of increasing or 

 decreasing this proportion by 25 per cent. They are also 

 to have the right to close them altogether, or open more 

 than the normal number with the assent of the Minister 

 of Finance and the approval of the provincial assembly. 

 4 They decided in favour of confining the sale of spirits 

 in the rural communes to two descriptions of shops. The 

 first are those with the right of sale for drinking on the 

 premises, as you say in England, which answers to your 

 ordinary public-house. The license is only to be given 

 to them on condition that they also provide tea and 

 food for their customers. 



' The second description of shops are those for the sale 

 of liquor in corked bottles for consumption at home. 

 Hotels and railway buffets are to be left as they are. 

 Restaurants where drink is sold are to be limited in 

 number by the municipal councils. 



