Clubs To Open All Election Day

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31225, 24 November 1966, Page 1

Clubs To Open All Election Day

Because they see an oversight in the wording of the Sale of Liquor Act, 1962, chartered clubs will not close at noon on election day.

Most, if not all. chartered clubs in Christchurch and suburbs have decided to serve drinks to members and guests.

Hotels and licensed restaurants will have to stop selling drinks between noon and 7 p.m. as they, and chartered clubs, have been required to do by the law on previous General Election polling days.

Many hotel licensees are upset at what they consider an unfair advantage for chartered clubs.

All suburban stations have been notified from the Christchurch Central Police Station that there is nothing in the law to compel chartered clubs to close on Saturday afternoon.

Mr H. J. Shatford, president of the Christchurch Working Men’s Club, said the club would serve drinks to members and their guests from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

“There are about 13 other chartered clubs in and around Christchurch and I believe that most, if not all, are going to serve drinks to members and their guests on Saturday, as they are legally entitled to do.

“We heard on the grapevine that there was a loophole in the law. The police have confirmed that there is nothing in the law to stop chartered clubs from serving drinks

to members during ordinary licensing hours on polling day. “On previous General Election polling days we closed at noon, of course, because the law said we had to,” Mr Shatford said. Barmen’s Rates He said that barmen employed by the club would be given an hour off work as time in which to vote. The barmen would be paid at ordinary rates, with no special

overtime or penal rates. There would be no offpremises sales of liquor. The Greymouth Working Men’s Club will remain open, and other West Coast chartered clubs are expected to follow suit.

“One Section”

The president of the Canterbury branch of the Hotels Association of New Zealand (Mr A. F. G. McGregor), asked to comment, said: “I have always understood that the purpose of shutting bars was to get the people to go to the polling stations to vote.

“I am surprised to discover that the law allows one section of the community to give a service which the other section is not allowed to give.”