THE CLOSED HOTELS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 277, 20 November 1913, Page 6

THE CLOSED HOTELS.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' PSOTSST. 'SiNt";I.ED OUT FOR SACRIFICE." STRIKE AUTHORITIES ASSERTIONS. Meeere C. C. Kettle. S.M., and E. C. Cwtten, &il., two of --the magistrates, who, in their capacity as Justices of the Peace, had ordered "the closing of the hotels in. Auckland ten days ago, t>e- [ cau/-*, in the wording of the Act, they "•expected that a tumult or riot might happen," sat in public at the Magic- ; trate'e Court t&is nKirntng to hear an ! application from the .Licensed Victuallens' Association that the order of closure be suspended. ■Mr Cutten said that in tb«ir letter i/he Licensed Victuallers -had taken ex- ! ception to the magistrates having mem- \ ber& of the Strike Committee present iat the li.st conferenoe on the matter. lln this matter the magistrates had to act on some evidence. In the first place, ', t.liny had -before them letters from inj dividual iintel-kcepere, and from the I Licc-ntHul Victuallers' Association, and a I report from the police, all in -the one ! direction, on which the action of closing ! the hotels was taken. Now that every- • one was not in agreement exception was taken to the Strike Committee bej ing present at the conference. The re- , presentatives of the Strike Committee I were asked to attend, not as a Strike

I Coir rni't toe, but as persoiis in a position to give very impr.rts.n-t. evidence on th-e effect -of re-open the hotels. The [Licensed Viptnsllen? Association tug■go ted that evidence lie obtained from i other .i-oiirees. !n:i- the magistrates I knew of r.o other eouree. THE INCREASING RISK. j -Respecting the present position, there j was now very liule change in the position from when the hotels were first eloiM*d. it had been pointed out to him ■by Mr Fraztr. S..\L (who could not now i Ik? present), that 'there was an increasing j probability of partisan feeling getting clrongor. Those in charge of them, f-o I tar -art he could see, -had 'been able to 1 exercise excellent control over the men, ', and there -had been no serious trouble. i Hut at things went against the men it ; was quite probable that the men would ' get completely out of hand. So far as i lie could tec, the n-eceesity for ttho doe- ' ing of the -hTteie was greater now than ! ai. the beginning. The -magistrates quite : understood that th« 'keeping of hotels i was a legal business, and the burden of ; clown:: 'the •hotels was on those who I wished to convince t!h<- magistrates that iit was ncpcEsary "to keep -lliom closed. i Immediately Ibey felt justified in re- ! opening the 'hotels they would do co. ! THK HOTEL-REEFERS' VIEWS. ! .Mr 0. Nicholson, who appeared on behalf of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, stated th-.it, ■ the Association I didn't, intend to call evidence, but ho I wished to review the position on their , behalf. lie was satisfied that Mr Cuti ten's explanation would remove the imI pression that, the licensed victuallers j had hail that the Strike Committee had J boon consulted as such. Now the : position had greatly changed from the I tit.ic w!i»n the hotels were first closed.

Then ti,()UO jK-Qple were out of work, feeling was high, the men were crowding the streets, special police were being enrolled in the town and the country; it was openly stated that if special eons tab lus came into the city there would be riots and violence. The hotel-keepers, recognising the position, themselves acquiesced in the closing of the hotels. Now. instead of 0,000 men out of work I by force of circumstances and voluntarily there were now a very much .small?;" number. Work was being resumed, the people were getting used to the specials, and there was a force of ,",OOfr":;pp;i-als to protect people and properly, and -citizens who -were carrying on a legal business should be protected ' in that business. They should not bo j penalise] because there were malcon- j tents in the city admittedly breaking the law. The hote-1-keepers felt that they were being harshly trailed, and that too much weight was being given to the lawbreaking portion of the community. A DRASTIC PRIVILEGE. If any riot took place, two justices of | peace could exercise their powers to have the hotels closed immediately. It was n, very drastic privilege to allow,! and it was a privilege to he fccrcised on ' the. spur of the moment at a tune when trouble actively impended. If the order closing the hotels were suspended there : was nothing to prevent two justices of the peace aj,-ain closing the .hotels in any ease of emergency. Counsel pointed out that in Wellington the hotels ware closed two or thr"e times on occasions of excitement during tbe -week, and reopened afterwards. That, he considered, was a reasonable interpretation of the Act. There were now about 300 militant strikers, and there was ample protection ( in the city. The licensed victuallers were prepared to make a sacrifice in the interests of the community, but they j did rot a ■>' why they should be singled j I out from other persons pursuing a law-1 ! fill linsin..-.-.--. and penalised on a report I from Ihc police that a tumult might be! liable !■> happen. That procedure could I be e.irri.d to an absurd conclusion. ft •Was the duly ot the. police to keep peace and r,r>!":. and not to request, that the hotel* '.■• closed continuously 'because ! certain i-uv-breakinff members of the ! commit who were allowed i-o take posse.-si.i:', nf the streets, were liable to become riotous or tumultuous. The petitU.iif-is requested that the order closing tin hotels be suspended. If the I necessity '.iruse at any tune, the hotels J could be closed again for the time being. > It. had been pointed out that in view of ; the ni'iir approach of the Exhibition, the J closing of the hotels was detrimental to : Au-kland :i> a >-it\. j NOT A CASK Kill! KVIDBXO;-:. . Mr N>hn!«M>n .-aid that, lie would offer ■m. "vitionep as they could get a thous.tnd prop.? who would give evidence ! o.i. h way, .-, nd tiveir Worships would j ilii?n iiii- , . jot. on tiUeir own judgment and ! ulvcrviuioii. ' Mr (':ittr-Ti: Tile <'.i'iT] is whether ;we may reasonably apprehend a raot or i-tumnlt. There were little evidences of i fr-ling fii,-ti ots took place a! llic Trades ! Jiiill yesterday. If ih*i were an. . 'vilatH : !i?iarfcp :•' would not be any ' ground vvha'cver for our closing the .'i.-.••■'!-. hut when we know a strike ie , joiner nn .■'•■' .1 MviioTi or the community ! -.'now-, wry ir.'en~e feeling, 'hen <;re not: jihw." iMi;.i:inr> of feeling i|u;:,> differi >-ni : i I Mr X.i-hip'i-io: I think t-ticre was no- I i *.hH><r !.w=t ■»<■!>'; to justify any .lus-tice ! a coming to ; no conclusion- i,\ia.t riots land trnnnkfi would anee if the hotefe. v;er<* reopened. •Mr On! km.: If Ifeey -did reopen, Taint lrouble •lia.'pspp-npd, «wbajfc-<thffli2 "Mr .Nicholson: Toiwan~<*loso them again £or the time- -boing. _»&-«!««. done in.WcUJngtffli.

! PROHIBITIONIST TESTIFIES. iMr Kettle stated that if any citizen ] desired to give evidence on the question he would 'be heard, and several people rose and signified their desire to give evidence. ■William White, ".(OOtmakcr. drey Lynn, eaid he had a brother a striker. and lie came to appeal on his behalf against the opening of the bais. The last day the bare were open tilings occurred which resulted in witness takt ing out a prohibition order agarnst his brother. Mr Nicholson: Don't you thin-k you could get your brother to go back to I work?— That -would be a .hard job. Mr Nicholson: Are you not a. prominent T>rohd'bitioniet, and ■would you not like to see the hotels shut for all time? —Yes. UNION SECRETARIES VIEWS. Arthur Rosser stated that he was a, Justice of the Peace and a union secretary. His office was in the Trades Hall, which Mr Nicholson termed the storm centre, and it was the wish of the men combined that the hotels should not be reopened at this stage. He was a spectator of yesterday's trouble in Hobson Street, and he was satisfied the control he had there would riot have been obtained had the hotel opposite not been closed. There was no retaliation yesterday on the part of the men. He "was satisfied that there was a strong feeling now. If the hotels were reopened the specials aud the men would meet in the bars, and there would be words and blows, with the blows first.

Do you say now that riots and tumults lniiy be cxprcted to happen? — 1 tin.

To Mr Nicholson: There were, none of his unions on strike, but same had been pushed out of work. Mr Nicholson: Would you use your influence to get these men to go back to work? —I am in favour of bringing about peace with honour.

Mr Nicholson: Yon say the weapons were all on the one tiide j-esterdav;— I only saw walking sticks, on the other.

DANGER OF HARITTJUE STRIKE. Adam Nixon, president of the Union of Certificated Knjrineers, corroborated the former witness, and stated that there were 3.000 specials and 5.000 strikers in the city. The specials were not trained men, and as liable to take drink as the strikers, and he was satisfied that the opening of hotels would create a danger of riots and tumults. He also stated that efforts were being made to prevent the thin? spreading to a rrraritime strike, and he. thought that if the seamen of the visiting ships were enabled to get drink in the hotels there would he a frrave danger of an international maritime strike.

Oscar McLean, a wa.tersid.pr and member of the Strike Committee, stated that of 1.100 men of his union who had come out only 12 had resumed work. There were hundreds of men who had been brought into town to do the work formerly done by the men of his union, and that in itself would probably be a position which would excite feeling if the hotels were reopened. As to the statement that there were only 300 strikers, it would 'be absurd to suppose that if such were the case there would be any negotiations for settlement. (Mr Nicholson: I said militant strikers.) Concerning the assemblages at the Trades Hall, where else would they PXJiect men to go who were out of work, many bavin? no horn", in order to meet each othc-, express opinions, and discuss the situa.tion. lie mentioned that in the trouble at the Trades Hall yesLerdav two of three men who were somewhat tmder the i influence of drink were the most difficult to control.

A STAUNCH PROHIBITIONIST. Mr. Wniiam Richardson expressed the opinion tha-t if tho hotels were opened it would result in riot and tnrault. Many groups of workers had asked him to use all his influence to keep the hotels closed during the strike. He argued that the man on strike should not be afforded the. opportunity of becoming "staggering insane."

BLOODSHED IN TWO HOtTA Frederick ilcKcovrn. a. member of toe Bricklavrrs' Union, and representative on the Strike Committee for that body, said the, strike was in a worse position to-day than it ever had been. He 'believed there would be bloodshed within two hours il the hotels were opened. He was not biassed on this point, as be had worked in the interest «f the liquor trade and took a glass of beer himself. He was satisfied that if the hotels were opened there would be nothing less than civil war.

.Mr. Nicholson: I suppose it the men were all back at work there would be no danger of riot- or tumult? our union, for instance, has a very good excuse to retnrn to 'work. say. at the Mental

Hospital. Mr. Kettle said that had nothing to do with the present ease. The Magistrates had invited citizens, of standing to come forward and give evidence, and witness was doing that. Mr. Nicholson: Is there any reason to expect riot and tumuit? Witness: The longer men are out the more they get worked up. A GOOD .JUDGE. Alexander Cook (carpenter) stated he 1 wa.s on strike and was in front of the Trades Hall yesterday afternoon when the trouble occurred. He was, with others, trying to keep the men quiet. There were a few men with liquor ill that, crowd, and it was very hard to control them. ""If whisky gets into this crowd wit goes out. I am a Scotchman and a good judge, of whisky myself, but its the same with any crowd of men if the whisky gets in. In a «=taie of affaire like that now existing in Auckland 1 consider it ossential whisky should be kept out. If there is no whisky we can keep the men under control.' , PROUD OF HIS CONVICTIONS. Knos liond entered the witness-box, and said he was a member of the firm of Bond and Bell. The, Bench: Are you a prohibitionist? Witness: "Yes. I am very proud of the fact." Mr. Bond then related that there was nearly a row in Commerce Street near his premises owing to two men and two women coming there in a motor c.i-r and bringing with them some liquor, lie added: "If liquor gets amongst these people it is very likely there will be a disturbance. As a o : 1 strongly recommend the M&gistraif* to still keep the hotels closed. " NO KVIDENTE IN SUPPORT. Mr. Kettle: Mr. Ni.-'.ini.-on. do you wish to call evidence? ilr. Nicholson said he could cull evidence, and very good pvi.ienro. hut it would only mean that counter \viinc?«ps .would be called. Kettle: We are prepare.! to spend ;at~fcss" ibonrs if necessary taking evidence ■of citizens. We ha-ve a*ked yon for evidence, but you have not rdjied any witnesses. It yo»*wish an adjournment to*caH_"(ntr>esaee-we->«iU grant-it

. Mr. Nicholson said if that ■was done lie could call evidence in support of the application. Mr. Outten: For instance, we have a letter from the president of the Exhibition Committee advocating the hotels being opened. CAMP OFFICER'S REQUEST. At this stage the Bench consulted together over a slip of paper, and Mr. Kettle finally said: "We have received a message by telephone, which we will show to you, Mr. Nicholson.'' Mr. Cutten (after it had been perused): Does not that. Mr. Nicholson, raise the gravest question, even in the publican's interest? Mr. Nicholson: We will leave the matter entirely to your Worships. You made the order closing the hotels, and we are prepared to leave the matter in your hands entirely. It is for you to say whether the order shall 'be varied or suspended. Mr. Richardson: May not the Press see the message as well as the Licensed Victuallers' Association? Mr. Nichokon: I have not shown it to the representatives of the Licensed ; Victuallers' Association.

Mr. Kettle: We have, received a message from the officer in charge of the camp stating that in his opinion the hotels should be kept closed. As no further evidence was tendered, Mr. Kettle announced: "We will consider the matter very seriously and carefully, and give our decision later on. -.