LIQUOR AT DANCES

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26605, 15 December 1951, Page 4

LIQUOR AT DANCES

CONCERN EXPRESSED BY PRESBYTERY MEETING WITH WAITAH COUNTY COUNCIL (From Our Own Reporter) OAMARU, December 14. Because of an allegedly “steady tocrease” in drinking at country dsnea in North Otago tne Oamaru Presby. tery to-dav requested the Wiitalri County Council to take stepa to control drinking at halls within its area, Ibi council decided to take the necessar action and it was stated that # had power to cancel the licence any ball where dances were not CQnductfid iatisfactorily. \ T The Moderator of the Oamaru Paabytery (the Rev. C. R. Spracketp, who led a deputation to the council, the Presbytery sought the support ti the council in its effort to cheek drinking at dances in the county. felt that the members of the council, as responsible citizens of. the eramunity, would give their support in this important matter. The chairman of the Oamaru branch of the New Zealand Alliance (the Rev. L. W. Rothwell) said he was sure ttt council would feel bound to take action for the welfare of its yoaa| citizens. It was not only drink that was the danger at dances, but allo the use of high powered cars, he said. Ibt danger was not so much the drunken driver as the driver who had had i “few.” There was growing concern snwnf responsible people of the community about the matter, said the Rev. L W Lewis. The Presbytery would tel, after the council had received and listened to its deputation, that it had performed its duty. It felt that wiM. it had to say was the “voice oi people.” It was not so much country rodents as visitors from outside who were the trouble at dances, said t« county chairman (Mr D. H. Scett). Thev seemed to want to get awayfrorc the more strict control enforced in town. The council had power to cancel the licence of any hail, said the coifflv clerk (Mr C. R. Jolly). The hall committees had a demJ problem in knowing how to act in matter. All they could do was ren# to allow anybody whose dances w* not conducted satisfactorily the DM * the hall. After the deputation had wlthdnjj the council decided to accede w w request. The police should be asked to all dances held in the halls under w council’s control, said Cr. M. France