HOTEL HOURS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 159, 5 July 1916, Page 6

HOTEL HOURS.

■ IF EARLY CLOSING COMES. PROHIBITION FOR SOLDIERS. CAMP COMMANDANT DISAPPROVES. SAYS MEN SHOULD BE TRUSTED. (By Te'.egraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. In the course of an address to the Eighteenth Reinforcements yesterday Lieut.-Coloncl Potter. Commandant of Trentham Camp, made special reference to the six o'clock closing question. He reminded the men that they were not allowed to bring liquor into camp, also that they were prohibited from having bottled liquor in their possession. "Now," he added. "I want to refer to a vexed question that is troubling people namely, tbe six o'clock closing of hotels, which means prohibition for you men, because, if tbe proposal is carried, you cannot get to hotels before the bars arc closed. 1 am strenuously opposing the proposal. The reason 1 do so is because I trust cve'ry man, and until a man is found wanting I do not want him penalised. It all depends on you mqn, by your conduct, as to whether six o'clock closing is to be carried into law. We have not asked for it. and we do not ask for it. It is a big temptation, but I say that if you men are lit to go into countries where the control of alcoholic liquors is not so drastic as in New Zealand you should first be capable of looking after yourselves here, of showing you are able to exercise self-control under New Zealand conditions. I warn you by your behaviour to support my contention. You are men, and should be treated as men while you behave as men." CHRISTOFIURCH RESOLUTIONS. (By Telegraph. — Press Association.) QHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. A public meeting, held to-day, at which the Mayor presided, and Bishop Julius was one of the speakers, carried the following resolutions: —"That in the event of the Government being unable to give effect to the request of a previous resolution by Act of Parliament, we demand that a referendum of the people be taken at the earliest date possible; that this meeting of Christehurch citizens calls upon the Government to give effect to the repeatedly-expressed opinion of large numbers of electors, through public meetings and petitions containing over 100,000 signatures, that facilities for obtaining intoxicating liquor be curtailed, and hotel bars closed from 6 p.m. until 8 a-m. during the war and for six months after peace is declared."