THE LIQUOR TRADE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9050, 21 July 1917, Page 5

THE LIQUOR TRADE.

FURTHER RESTRICTIONS OPPOSED.

DEPUTATION TO PRIME 1 MiiMSTER.

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 21. \ \. deputation representing the liquor trade interests waited on the i'nme Minister.to-duy. -The Hon. A. L. Herdnian. was'also present. Mi- A: E.'Kerhot, president ol the National' Council, representing ■ all liquor interests, opposed further resLnctions, and stated that the agitation was a breach ol faith in. the light 61' the contract at the last poll. ±he restrictions imposed last year resulted ■in the reduction by 25 per cent, ol hotel business. The Trade .was unabie to bear the dual sacrifice of shorter hours and anti-shouting, which would mean ruination to the majority; but to meet the exigencies of the position he proposed: (1) The repeal ol the anti-shouting regulations; (2).. the curtailment of. hours for the duration ol the war, and for six months therealter; to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.; (3) the Trade\would boar .tho_ loss entailed thereby-'without requiring compensation. If further curtailment were requisite as a national .necessity, the Trad© should be compensated.; v Mr Galdridge, president, ql the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said that further restrictions; would make it difficult for hotelkeepers 'to meet financial obligations *•entered into following the 1914. poll. Shorter hours' would drive the trade into illegitimate channels, and were not necessary to win the war, as New Zealand was not a munition area. The Savings liank s I record showed thiit there was no necessity for the regulations for economy purposes, and the crime statistics showed a reduction in offences during the war period. Mr' S. J. Gibbons, for the. country licensees, said that further restrictions would make impossible, the maintenance of the present standard of comMr Massey, in reply', paid that the other side of the' question' had bewn placed before him by the deputation, and would receive consideration. Ho believed that Parliament would have to reconsider the whole licensing question, sp as to get rid of _. agitation from year to year. The British Parliamentary Committee had reported m favour of State control. Personally, ho was not enamoured of. State ownership but if it wore to be the solution of the difficulty the Government would consider it. . . - • ■,/-> , ;