" TEMPERANCE BAR."

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13938, 11 January 1911, Page 10

" TEMPERANCE BAR."

RE-OPENED IN INVERCARGILL. SOFT DRINKS AND ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) INVERCARGILL, January 10. The exact definition of certain provisions in the new Licensing Act has yet to be determined, but to-day saw the re-opening of the soft drink bar in Invercargill, which has, since the start of the new year, borne the announcement "owing to the new- Licensing Act being put into force, this temperance bar is now closed." The cessation of business, it appears, was taken to avoid any risk of the premises being regarded ""a plate of resort," through customers consuming liquor from a personally carried flask or bottle as an accompaniment to aerated water. The uncertainty thus prevailing was also responsible" for some social events becoming "dry." That such a stringent interpretation of the Act has been a matter of inconvenience to a large section of the public, and more particularly to visitors from the country, cannot be doubted, and considerable resontmeut was freely shown.. The new order of things was regarded as a curtailment of the rights of the British public in being deprived of the liberty of taking a "pick-me-up" in private. It is now, however, considered that the casual use of a private bottle as an accompaniment to soft drinks purchased and consumed on hotel, restaurant, or other premises, is not an infringement of the Act, and the sequel to-day was that the old ordei of things was restored at the cstab.'ishment referred t<< in Invercargill, with the exception, of course, .that the storage of liquor in lockers or in any form is prohibited. Mr Mitchell, Inspector of Police, on being interviewed by a "Southland Times" reporter, expressed the oninion that the practice alluded to did not concern the police. The new development is also interesting by reason of the fact that, it is now thought that alcohlic refreshments will be able to be dispensed at public dinners and gatherings, their provision for immediate consumption being no longer regarded as coming under the definition of "storage," and the place of entertainment not being interpreted as constituting a, "resort. At Gore, where on and from December 31st the sale of cordials for consumption with liquor had been suspended at the hotels and restaurants, steps similar to those at Invercargill are being taken for the re-commence-ment of business, and soft drinks will once more bo obtainable without restriction.