President “Hates Five To Six O’clock Swill”

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30981, 10 February 1966, Page 5

President “Hates Five To Six O’clock Swill”

“I hate the very words ‘five to six o’clock swill,’ ” the president of the Licensing Trusts Association of New Zealand (Mr V. W. Russell, of Ashburton) said in Christchurch yesterday “I think the time will come when we will have more rational drinking by an extension to 10 o’clock closing,” he said. Mr Russell emphasised that his comments on the question represented his personal opinion and were not necessarily those of all members of the association. He said the association realised that the Government was committed to a referendum before introducing legislation to permit late hotel closing. Conference Agenda The association met in Christchurch yesterday to draw up the programme for its annual conference to be held in Oamaru from March 10-12. He said the Member for Waitaki (Mr A. D. Dick) would open the conference on behalf of the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) and the main address would be given by the chief executive of the National Council of the Licensed Trust (Mr J. W. Thompson). Outlining the progress of the trust hotel system, Mr Russell said there had been notable building expansion in all trust areas. Better Facilities The turn-over in the eight district and three local trusts had reached almost £5 million during the last 12 months. At Invercargill the turnover was £1,250.000 and at Ashburton £385,000. He said the trust hotels had concentrated on better drinking facilities where people could sit down. This b < led Ito a better type of clientele and had encouraged more

married couples to patronise the hotels. Better amenities were being financed from trust profits, he said.