WOMEN IN HOTELS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 76, 28 March 1908, Page 7

WOMEN IN HOTELS.

THE DUTY OF THE POLICE.

MINISTER FOR JUSTICE EXPLAINS.

ißy Telegraph.— Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day. In connection with the resolutions and counter-resolutions that have been passed by the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association and the Christchurch Prohibition League, regarding the recent police report to the Auckland LicensingCommittee as to the number of women found on licensed premises, and the apparent evidence of a considerable increase in tb~ drinking habit among the fan- sex in that city, the Minister of Justice (the Hon. J. McGowan) has received letters from both parties covering resolutions already published. Mr. McGowan has, so I am informed, replied in the following terms to the secretary of the A.L.V. Association, and the president of the Christchurch Prohibition League respectively: —

"Sir. —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th inst., forwarding copy of a resolution passed by the Christchurch Prohibition League, protesting against the action taken by the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association in connection with the report made by the police to the Auckland Licensing Committee regarding development of the drinking habit among women, as evidenced by the number found in Auckland suburban hotels. In reply, I have to inform you that, in their capacity, as inspectors of licensed premises, police officers are required by the Lincensing Act to furnish a report to the clerk of the committee for the district within which they are stationed, regarding the licensed houses under their supervision; and it is neither the wish nor the intention of the administration that there shall be any departure from the practice hitherto followed. A reply to this effect is also being forwarded to the secretary of the Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association.—l have, etc., (signed) Jas. McGowan (Minister of Justice). T. E. Taylor. Esq., Prohibition League, Christchurch.'' '•"March 27th, 1908. Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd icst, conveying certain resolutions passed by your association, taking exception to the police report recently submitted to the Auckland Licensing Committee, in which reference is made to the drinking by women in certain hotels in Auckland. In reply, I may inform you that,' as police inspectors are statutory officers under the Licensing Act, and are required by that Act to furnish reports to the Licensing Committees regarding the hotels under their supervision, any question as to the correctness of a justification for such a report, must necessarily be determined by the committees receiving them, and, in view of the fact that the report to which exception is taken has been made in the ordinary course, I am unable to comply with your association's requirement that I should issue instructions to prevent such reports being prevented. I have, etc., (signed) Jas. McGowan.

George H. Foster, Esq., hon. secretary Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association. Auckland." WANGANUTS GOOD REPORT. WANGANUI, this day. Reporting on the question raised by the New Zealand Alliance as to whether drinking among women has attained any magnitude in the various districts of the Dominion, the local police, in & report to the Wanganui Licensing Committee, state? that only a few women of the unfortunate class visit some of the hotels here and get drink. Apparently the respectable women of the town do not visit hotels for the purpose of drinking, and the hotelkeepers of Wanganui have made a rule that no female will be served with liquor except at the public bar, which means prohibition to any women who do not belong to the disreputable class.