Mr Hanan Thinks Late Drinking Will Come

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 12

Mr Hanan Thinks Late Drinking Will Come

(N2. Press Association) MASTERTON, March 8. “I believe that for good or ill evening hours will eventually come in this country,” said the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) at the annual conference of the Licensing Trusts’ Association at Masterton tonight. “Whatever our personal views on the advisability of this, it must be admitted that if public opinion generally gave the support to the opening of public hotels for a time in the evening, with probably a closed period after six, as they have in New South Wales, the licensing law would present far fewer difficulties of enforcement,” Mr Hanan said.

“All I can tell you on the subject of hours is that the Government does not intend to run away from the problem and will earnestly seek the best practicable solution,” said the Minister. “Few would disagree that the question of hours of sale is the most intractable in the whole field of the licensing law. I do not think it can be denied that when 6 o’clock closing was first introduced in 1917 its effects were most beneficial. Given the conditions prevailing at the time, it was a reform of the first importance.

“A continuation of the existing hours of the bar sales was heavily favoured at the 1949 referendum, and the policy of this Government is not to alter the laws relating to the hours of sale of liquor in the public bars without approval of the majority of electors at a further referendum,” Mr Hanan said. Overcrowded Bars

“There is, however, no magic about the hour of 6 Under the present pattern of drinking, 6 o’clock closing does, by and large, suit the needs of the larger towns, although it has a good deal to do with the overcrowding of bars and the often poor

conditions in which drinking takes place,” be said. “We all know, however, that it is not well adapted to the needs of many farming and mining districts, where the rhythm of the working day makes it impossible for many people to drink legally in a hotel.

‘"Hie result is inevitable and common knowledge—a law that does not serve the needs of the people and is out of touch with responsible opinion tends to be disobeyed. The law is made for people, not people for the law and if the law is to be respected, something must be done about it. “The problem is: what? District Referendum “Views have been expressed that the solution is for each district to determine its own hours by referendum. There is something to be said for this, but you wilt appreciate that such a proposal brings its own problems. It is not always easy to define suitable districts,” said Mr Hanan. “Districts are not composed wholly of farmers or late-ehift workers and it would be impracticable to let one group have evening drinking without extending the same privilege to everyone.

“This becomes particularly important if a district includes, as many districts do, both small towns and farming areas.

"There would also be a very real danger of an Influx of irresponsible from neighbouring large towns in a district where evening hours operated,” said the Minister. "The effects on road safety must also be considered.”