WEST COAST HOTEL HOURS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26263, 7 November 1950, Page 8

WEST COAST HOTEL HOURS

“MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN ” From Out Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, November 6. There was'an evident laxity in the observance of the liquor laws, said Mr Justice Northcrott in his address to the Grand Jury in the Supreme Court at Greymouth to-day. There had. he said, been instances of men drinking as freely at midnight as if it had been midday, said his Honour. The Court was being asked to deal with the third case in two consecutive sessions in which a death had occurred in a motor accident following alleged drinking. Referring to a charge of negligent driving causing death, against a young Westport miner, his Honour said that there had been three or four cars on the scene of the fatal accident at one time or another, add although this was some time after midnight all these people had been drinking very freely —as if it had been midday, not midnight. t There seemed to be an almost wholesale degree of drinking at illegal hours in country areas on the West Coast, said Mr Justice Northcroft. “I mention the Westport case because this is a case where a man lost his life and .the evidence discloses that there was a good deal of drinking when hotels should have txten closed, said his Honour. “At the last session here there were two such cases, one >a shocking case where again people in motor-cars wert allowed by publicans to have unlimited liquor. “This is deserving of serious consideration. I apprehend it is a matter of some concern to West Coast people that they should not be allowed to orink when they want to. but it is equally a matter of grave concern that irresponsible people should be allowed to drink to such an extent. 1 ' Mr Justice Northcroft said that his remar'ks were general, for in the Westport case before the Court the indictment was not one of Intoxication. but of negligent driving. 50 per cent. Jersey cross to show - a marked improvement." . Mr Alcorn said the samples taken did represent the typical milk sold in Christchurch. His department had deliberately avoided using samples of “check-ups’ 1 on low quality producers “My opinion is that the deterioration in s.n.f. is caused by the cold weather in the winter and the shortage of grass. That is where Christchurch is up against it,” said Mr J-. R. D. Johns, a producer. Mr G. Gourlay, representing the Christchurch Milk Bars’ Association, said the predominance of Friesians probably had a lot to do with it. “I don’t think enough attention is being paid to feeding out," he-said. The Directormf Canterbury Agricultural College? Lincoln (Professor E. R. Hudson) said that if consumers wanted quality they should be prepared to pay for it. It was desirable, therefore, to have a scheme where quality was rev compensed. “If I was in the dairy business for profit at present, there is no doubt about what breed I would choose." he said. AU the facts about the causes of low s.n.f. content were not known, but the essentials were, and there was no doubt that it was related to the breed composition of the herd add feeding. The variation in the- s.n.f. content had been studied extensively and some factors were now/ understood, said Mr M. J. Hollard, a lecturer at the college. Breed seemed to be the most important factor, byt {be stage of lactation, efficiency of milking, interval between milkihg. seasons, and feeding were (ac» tors now known. “If it had not been for th? Friesian you would have Ibeen short of milk in Christchurch, 11 , said Mr C. W. Humm representing the Friesian Association “We would have no trouble if we could get grass throughout the year, but in Christchurch there must be five months of supplementary feeding and that is the probjem.'' ' Mrs W. B. Ctowley, representing the National Council) of Women, said women were not satisfied with .the Christchurch milk supply. “Wt doni worry so much about -fat content so much as how long it keeps -and what it tastes like.” He sai.d. “Our policy is to*give a free choice of good, fresh, first-grade, quality milk.” Vendors had to toe the line regardin the law, but toey could not put out a good article if they did not get it. said Mr P. Caithness (Milk Vendors’ Association)