A DRINK TROUBLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8303, 23 November 1915, Page 2

A DRINK TROUBLE.

NO TREATING.

We are threatened in London (says # correspondent) by still another reminder that in a time of war there is j no respect for even tho most cherished j customs. It is understtood that the I authorities who have been considering |;the matter have now come to a decision, and that very' soon London will be declared a munitions area. That may not, on the face of it, seem to mean much, but in poiut of fact once London .is a munition area, its citizens will suffer serious restrictions in the matter of their drinking habits. In brief, it will be a penal offence to "treat" your friend to a drink, or to be treated by him. Already there are munition areas in the country, and alj ready persons; residing within them jhave been heavily fined for inviting friends.:;,to' ; that immemorial, ceremony of. havjng a,.drink., .In. some cases rthey have tried, to evade, the new law by passing the price of a drink to their friend what time he himself calls for it. In other cases they have protested that they were merely repaying, thus, an instalment of money owed. But the law has been inexorable, and those drinks have cost £5. apiece. In London, of course, the custom of drinking in company aaxmnts for most of the public-house trade. It will still be possible to drink in company, but each several person so engaged must, in future, pay his own score. The "trade" is alarmed at the prospect—as \t might well be. But these be stern times. It is even possible that London, once declared to be munitions area it will presently see its public-houses closed altogether save for two hours in the afternoon, and from 6 to 9 o'clock at night. That is already the way of it in other of England's munitions areas.