The Conduct of Hotels.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18441, 23 July 1925, Page 8

The Conduct of Hotels.

A correspondent (" Parent") writes to us to-day sharply criticising the conduct of some of the hotels. The views of " The Press " on Prohibition are well-known: wc think that it is a mistaken policy, invoking a dangerous principle, and unlikely to achieve any of the ends which aro most often mentioned as its justification. But one may hold these views, and hold them strongly, and yet agree heartily with the Prohibitionists whenever they condemn the lax and reprehensible methods of some of those who hold hotel licenses. It would be very unfair to the majority of hotelkeepers, and actually very far from the truth, to say that those licensees who are guilty of unlawful or undesirable practices are typical of hotelkeepers as a class. The majority of the licensees do obey the law, and dislike as heartily as other people those who by their misconduct bring into disrepute what is a perfectly respectable calling. Our correspondent asks :, "Is it possible that the "public are so used to this trade that "they have become callous, indifferent, "cynical, taking it as a necessary blot "on ouy civilisation?" This, of course, is obviously the language of a very ardent Prohibitionist, but it ought to be a warning to the Trade of the peril of indifference fo any cases of misconduct. If it is absurd to say that every ho.tel.is "a blot on our civilisation," it is just as absurd to pretend that there are not hotels whose licensees break the la\v. The Trade is, upon the whole, well-conducted, and very much better conducted than in past years, but this will not be believed by its opponents so long as eases of misconduct come under the public notice. We feel obliged to add that it often happens that the Courts treat with undue leniency offences against the Licensing Act. The real case against Prohibition is not weakened by the fact that unsuitable persons hold licenses here and there, but a good many people give their votes for Prohibition in consequence of the sins of the black sheep in tho hotel business. It,is easily possible, as many licensees in New Zealand have demonstrated, to run a hotel in strict obedience to the law and in obedience also to supplementary rules of good conduct made by the licensees themselves. And it is certainly the duty of the Trade to take all suitable steps to make impossible such complaints as those of our correspondent.