LICENSING AND BETTING

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25736, 23 February 1949, Page 6

LICENSING AND BETTING

METHODIST CHURCH’S VIEWS

10 O’CLOCK CLOSING NOT FAVOURED

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 22. A call to all its members and adherents and other people who had the moral welfare of New Zealand at heart to exercise their votes at the referendum on licensing and off-course betting on March 9. was issued to-day by the executive committee of the Methodist Conference of New Zealand. “It is our profound conviction that a return to the old order of 10 p.m. closing of hotel bars would be a tragic mistake,” the statement said. “Six o’clock closing has brought about a marked decrease of drunkenness and resultant crime. As the Methodist Church which began mission work among the Maori people in 1822, we deplore the proposal to break the solemn pact entered into between Maori and pakeha that no liquor licences should ever be granted in the King Country. “As to the referendum on off-course betting, we are profoundly convinced that these proposed increased facilities, with betting shops on main streets, will

“(1) Considerably increase the volume of gambling. “(2) Swell the number of new betters. “(3) Not eliminate the bookmaker, but on the contrary will create two forms of off-course betting—legal bettine and the continuation of illegal bookmaking. “(4) Withdraw typists, stenographers. and skilled staffs from legitimate business, th? Civil Service, and industry to employment in betting agencies. Tlie alternative to. this proposal is to confine all betting to where it can do least harm—the racecourse—and to eliminate the bookmaker.”