HOTEL HOURS

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27710, 14 July 1955, Page 14

HOTEL HOURS

REPORTED MOVE FOR EXTENSION TALKS BY MAGISTRATES DENIED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 13. Mr J. D. Willis, Senior Magistrate in Dunedin, said today that he was at a loss about th'e report that Magistrates had discussed the possible extension of licensing hours. “I don’t know where the information came from, but it is certainly incorrect,” he said, commenting on remarks to this effect by Mr E. S. Hilton, president of the New Zealand Justices of the Peace Association. “The Magistrates held their conference last September,” said Mr Willis. “The matter was not discussed then, and there has been no conference since.

“It is highly improbable that any unofficial gathering of a group of Magistrates has been held to discuss licensing hours, so I can only assume that Mr Hilton is in error,” Mr Willis said.

SPREAD OF HOURS OPPOSED REPORT TO PRESBYTERY OF CHRISTCHURCH Revised licensing hours mentioned recently by Mr E. S. Hilton, president of the New Zealand Justices of the Peace Associating were severely criticised by the temperance committee of the Presbytery of Christchurch in a report presented at a meeting of the Presbytery last evening. “The committee feels that such reasons as given by Mr Hilton are not at all up to the standard which should be expected from a man in his position,’’ says the report. “How can the changed hours suggested help to minimise juvenile crime when juveniles are not supposed to be even on the premises? r ‘We think that the fathers’ absence from the homes in the evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. would certainly lead to the development of juvenile delinquency, rather than to the minimising of this. “The real question, as Mr Hilton must know, is whether, in the face of all the pros and cons, men have the right to be absent from their homes? from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., drinking in a bar, aed whether, even if they have that right at present, it is in the 'interests of the welfare of society.” The report was referred to the next meeting, because of the lack of a full account of Mr Hilton’s statements.