HOTEL HOURS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15939, 28 June 1917, Page 7

HOTEL HOURS.

THE SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING MOVEMENT. LICENSED VICTUALLERS' RESOLUTIONS.

At the annual meeting of tho Canterbury Licensed Victuallers' Association, held yesterday, the following resolutions in connexion with the movement for the closing of hotels at 6 p.m. wero carried:— "1. That this agitation is not a bona fide effort increase national efficiency, but *Is an underhand attempt by the Prohibition Party to sccure their end, contrary to the will of the pcoplo as last expressed, by taking advantage of the war situation. "2. That to assert that national efficiency is impaired by the present hotel hours is a wicked libel upon the working man. "'3. That to close tho hotels at six o'clock would bo class legislation as affecting the working man and not the middle classes, who would buy wholesale. "4. That national efficiency is unimpaired bv present conditions, as is indicated by tbe fact that in Christchurch and district, -with a population of 00,000, the convictions average 2J per day. or 1 in every .'56,000, a fraction ridiculously small. "5. That the hotels of this city have always been well conducted, and interference would immediately impair their efficiency and disturb the public convenience. "6. That many of tho 10.000 hotel employees of New Zealand would bo discharged were- restrictions introduced, with a consequent bad effect upon tho unskilled labour market. "7. Six o'clock closing will not reduce the working hours of hotel servants. It will only mean the employment of one shift instead of two. "8. That it is untrue to state that hotels are the only busiresses which remain open after six o'clock. "0. That hotels are public institutions, meeting a public need, heavily licensed, heavily taxed, and heavily rated. "10. That arbitrary interference would seriously disturb the country's economy and reduce the financial return to the State. "11. That the use of the name of Mr Llnvd George as a supporter of prohibition. by the organisers of this agitation. is quite "unwarranted as. with the added experience of responsibility, he has now abandoned prohibition as a cure for national efficiency. "For all of the above reasons, we', the members of this Association, hereby enter our emphatic protest acrainst anv Government action which will further restrict tho business of the hotelkeeper." DEMONSTRATION AT WELLINGTON. (press association telegram.) WELLINGTON, Juno 27. A big demonstration in support of tho demand for the six o'clock closing of hotel bars was held in the Town Hnll to-night, when tho following resolution was carried:—''That having heard tho terms of tho petition to be presented to Parliament asking for tlio restriction of tho salo of intoxicating liquor during tho war and after, this meeting heartily endorses tho praver of the petition, nnd demands that Parliament shall, without delay, pass an Act to givo immediate effect to tho prohibition of the salo of intoxicating liquor between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m."