No Prosecution For Closing At 7 p.m.

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 1

No Prosecution For Closing At 7 p.m.

Most hotels in Christchurch yesterday again closed their bars at 7 p.m. and most in the country districts were open until 10 p.m. Last evening the police made it clear that no licensee in New Zealand would be prosecuted for refusing to serve liquor after 7 p.m. if the ground of refusal were that he had been deprived of his bar staff.

The Canterbury Hotel Association, on behalf of about 80 per cent of its members, yesterday lodged an application to the Canterbury Licensing Committee for permission to close all bars at the hotels involved at 7 p.m. until November 11. The hearing is likely to be held early next week.

The acting officer in charge of the Christchurch police district (Sflffiffihtendent C. L. Scanlan) said yesterday that the police. had received several written complaints that licensees had refused to serve customers after 7 p.m. Mr Scanlan said, in the presence of the acting head of the New Zealand Police'(Assistant Commissioner W. H. A. Sharp), that the police would not prosecute the licensees or managers involved.

To questions, Mr Scanlan said that the police were placed in an awkward position in the dispute between the barmen and hotel licensees.

“We are the meat in the sandwich. We are always that. But we will not take sides in the dispute,” Mr Scanlan said.

He said that under the Sale of Liquor Act licensees cpuld not refuse to open public bars or serve customer* within lawful hours “without reasonable excuse.”

Mr Scanlan said that the police, guided by precedent, had decided that a reasonable excuse, within the meaning of the Act, was that licensee* or managers had been deprived of bar staff.

Mr Sharp agreed with Mr Scanlan. Mr Scanlan emphasised that any disorderly behaviour or other incidents at hotels would be dealt with by the police in the customary man-

Official* of the barmen’s unibn and the Canterbury Hotel Association, questioned yesterday, agreed that the national official* h*d declined to hear the condition* foe an opening of hotels and serving

of liquor until 10 p.m., pending the settlement of the dispute over wages and condition* for barmen.

The organisations in Canterbury had, on Thursday, reached a tentative agreement under which the hotels could open with bar staff working until 10 p.m. Last evening, local officials said that the “truce” possibly be agreed to nationally during the week-end. Working Men’s Club* Trading was normal at the Christchurch and Richmond Working Men’s Clubs, but the clubs were open to members only. At the Christchurch duh, the president was at the door and asked each person for his member’s pass. There was also an official at the door of the Richmond club.

Several persons who were not members were refused entrance.

At the Star and Garter Hotel eight young men sat

playing poker. They had six full jugs of beer on the table at 9.40 p.m. One of the group said they had bought a supply of jugs when the bar closed at 7 p.m. At the table next to them, the licensee (Mr C. Steel) and three friends sat, also playing poker. The youths were quite entitled to stay, Mr Steel said so he had decided to wait with them until 10.15 p.m.

At the United Service Hotel, 40 persons in a private party in the Plaza Lounge had to serve themselves drinks. Bottles of spirits and beer and a large punch bowl were on a table near the bar.