SATURDAY CLOSING OF HOTEL RARS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 187, 7 August 1913, Page 2

SATURDAY CLOSING OF HOTEL RARS.

(To the Editor.) Sir,— "The tactics of th P Prohibition party is llow exploiting their propaganda a± the expense of the Shopkeepers'% SO - cation is fharacteristio of them," so trad %.^ r - Foster either was not aware that tliree or fonr veaxs since it was decided that, in the event of Saturday being ihe statutory half-holiday licensed premises should .be eou-ht to be brought m or cisc lie forgot. Kvident- *» «■ Ja »es' Hall. August 13th, 1012, Uiq followmjr resolut.ionwasu.nanimously canied:—-That ihis raeetin- reqnests tile Premier, in the interests of sobriety, and the general welfare of the community, to secure the necessary amendment of the Licensing Act wUI provide for the closing of the liquor bars on all licensed premises at 6 p.m. on .Saturday evenings, until the openinghour on Monday morning, a. n <l that, in the event of Parliament making provision for a genera.] .Saturday half-Tiolidav it should include the bars of all licensed premises.' I was not a.ware that any original petition was signed by thousands of people in which there was: "no suggestion that the hotels should be brought withia the scope of the Act." J. s 'Air Foster not eonfusinjr a petition that was signed by over 10,000 pereoits asking for the restoration of tbe optional system and, failing that, thai all exemptions should be removed, including hotel bars?' In addition to the petition he objects to, the Master Crorers sent one down asking for the retention of Saturday, and the inclusion of hotel bars. The petition promoted by the City League is being signed by the larger portion of tne mercantile and professional men of the city—2,ooo signatures have been sent down, and Uiere are more to follow. Had we made -.1 house-to-house canvass the num-ber would have been increased tenfold. It will be seen that >!r. Foster's remark, quoted at the head of this letter, is manifestly incorrect, a.s o nr petition is the outcome of ;l settled policy, and is borne ait. our own expense When we interviewed the Premier in May last we urged the inclusion of hotel bars in the half-holiday dosing. The response given to tin* three petitions shows how strong is the sentiment in its favour. If some publicans axe doing less trade because of the .Satnrdav halfholiday, evidently others are ' Join" more, or else a considerable sK--#rn«' trade is -being done, which, of course, is an anomaly under licensps? \ t ' ; ,|| event.-, there .are unmistakable evidences of increased drunkenn<v~. -hmvn in the streets, and el.sewhere. and liy ihe court cases—27 first, offender:-, nu'e Monday morning should arrest putt]it- attention. As a matter of fact. our licensing Icnjs. I lation is out nf rbitP: it i- not in harmony with public *eminicT!t of If I::, in Sweden the bars ;ire closed nil day on Saturday: in Xγw Rnin.<wjrk nnri On. tario. at 7 p.m. cm Saturday: in Newfoundland. 6 p.m. every nipht: in Xova Scotia, 6 p.m. on Saturday. The new

Scotch Temperance Bill fixes the opening hour at 10 a_m.; here it is 6 a.m. In England they do not permit young children to be taken into a drinking bar; here -we do. In Queensland they forbid women being supplied with liquor; here we permit special facilities. The Aaiglican Synod of Ontario recommended: 'That until such times as the bars are a.bolished, the hours of sale shall be from 8 ajn. to S p-m., except Saturday, when the closing hour shall be, noon." -I met with some people who declined to sign the petition on the ground that you cannot mend the liquor traffic;' tnc only way is to end it- While true, it is desirable by all possible means to restrict its harmfnl influence so long as it does exist.—l am, etc, K. PKEMCH. (To the Editor.) Sir.—l note thttt the presentation to Parliament of a petition from 2,000 Aucklanders, asking, that hotel bars (not hotels) should be closed for the halfholiday observed by shops, does not meet with the approval of the secretary of the Auckland Provincial Council, the body which defended the "Trade" at the last' poll (which should not be confused with the ancient provincial council, nor with the Auckland Province No-license Council), for Mr. Foster is of opinion that such closing will lead to a greater consumption of liquor, and so lie and his friends would rather keep long hours and pay license fee 3to sell less. Is it not time that the Trade reviewed this line of a.rgument before making itself further ridiculous? j The petition to which Jir. Foster refers is only supplementary to_ two others, inaugurated by tho shopkeepers themselves. One of these has been presented to Parliament with 10.000 signatures, and the other with 5.000, and each asking that the bars be closed on the halfholiday. As these contained other proposals which some of the people declined to sign for. the Temperance party prepared one covering only the one issue, and it lias Heen most readily signed by all ciasses of people, and iJr. Foster will have considerable difficulty in getting intelligent people to believe that the closing of simps (IpcTeasi'.s tlie takings of i the ''Trade." At any rate, the increase I of 4!) drink-caused c.iies at the Auckland City Police Court during tiie month of, June (when we had three Saturday half- | holidays) does not indicate any diminution of one of the evil results of the | traffic in intoxicant.*.— I am. etc.. I \Y. J. MACDEIIMOTT. ;