BILLIARD SALOONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 191, 7 May 1908, Page 8

BILLIARD SALOONS.

TO CLOSE AT 10.30 p.m. - FAVOURABLE OFFICIAL REPORTS. h The 'By-Laivs Committeo reported as fola lows, to : tho City. Council yostorday aftere noon:— f "That the' Committeo have read j_ ' ■ the reports submitted by Inspector Doyle and the Inspector of l'olico on the allegations made with roferenco to the conduct of tho billiard salg ooiis in tho' City, and are of opinion e that there is nothing to call for interference'. With regard to the application for;'tho extension of the g . : closing hour' from' 10 o'clock to 11 e , o'clock,, the Committee recommend s I, that the request bo not acceded-to." e Councillor Ballinger,' 1 having moved tho r. adoption ,of tho Committee's report, tho re--5 ports, of Inspector Doyle and the Inspector ~ of Police were read in committee. A HALF-HOUR CONCESSION. I • Councillor Hindmarsh, moved as an amend- . ment:—'.'.That'the hour of closing for bil- " liard rooms be 10.20 p.m." Ho said 'tho 3 reports ..were favourable, .and it was only 3 people who nover went to tho billiard rooms s that made the, allegations against them. 3 Councillor Morran seconded the amendi mcht. The patrons Of the.saloons wero cn- ; 'titled .to. some'consideration,'.and at present .- many of them had often to wait vainly for i a ..gamo. The particular party that had ' made the unfounded allegations against tho i saloons was trying, to "curtail the pleasures i of the citizens in different ways, and would ; probably next be advocating tho stopping - the trams after 10 o'clock. i ■ Councillor Biss said'-ho-was satisfied, after • Inspector Doyle's report, that the salooii3 ' were well conducted. -He would vote for tho • amondment because- he''objected to the preL sent tendency-towards' restrictions on life i in the cities.,. The saloons were not on a par with the hotels, -.but were to .a great extent i afcounter-attraction. to them, especially for numbors of .young-men .living in uncomfort- ' ablo lodgings and with, nothing much -to ■do in tho evenings. The billiard saloon keepers i and their - patrons .i would, take care that the • rooms;,.wore not with drunks after . the,hotels closed. Some,young men did,not *'leave work'until'eight or nine o'clock. TEN 'O'CLOCK ADVOCATES. -. Councillor Smith 'said '. the committeo had' come to'its conclusion 'after considering all 1 the evidence, and not 'being influenced by any criticisms that had been made. Ten o'clock ,ywas: quite .late., enough for any licensed premises,, to he.kept open. Ho thought tlie saloonswere well-conducted. Councillor;-. Luko'siipported the committee.' Ho had noticed that young men frequenting the saloons had paid the penalty in impaired, health. ' He was pleased that the reports of' Inspector Doyle and the polico were so fav- - •.durable."thou'gh-it, was irnpossiblo to be suro that . -there ' .was ' : no , 'gambling done. The 10' o'clock hour be maintained so as , td;keep' ! up'the'pr&e'nt* standard of .' Councillor M'Laren said our city life was getting "/altogether tooV fast, and Councillor Biss's remarks rather showed that reform waV deeded in other directions. Tho game of pool had been mentioned'in tho. repoi-ts, as being'played 1 ™ tlio saloons, and ho held ' that' it was •! impossible 'to keep gambling - -out-altogether. / Eventually, . the billiard saloons ought to be •riranicipalised, and in the meantime:,there,'.was''no'need to extend the hours., •; ' • •• •• ' ' • • J BETTER THAN HOTELS. :• Councillor ,-Fisher favoured 11 o'clock closing. - The saloons were useful to men ,who did .'not belong to clubs, which,-were allowed to. play billiards until all hours. Ho, like . Councillor Biss,. had, been round the rooms ,and made careful .inquiries, and was sure that they were .well conducted. Tho. Council should 'encourage 'these saldons, which competed, against.those "in, the hotels. A young man losing''los. in' a .'billiard saloon , in a ,week rcgarded.it as a bad week, whereas he might easily lose as much in a,night in a, ' hotel, billiard ".saloon, where he would play with a lower class of men;' Councillor - Cohen' supported .the', amend-, 'mentj stating that' his views had changed .since hearing, the reports. •' Councillor ' Carmichael said the hour in other cities was 11 o'clock, and he ; did not see'-why 'Wellington' billiard players should be ' penalised. ' ' •' ' . Councillor. Hales supported 10 o'clock' closing. There were plenty of other'ways of occupying besides playing billiards. The employees at tho'saloons should be considcrcd. , . Councillor Hindinarsh: "What about the . theatres?" ' ■ " , ' : . . Councillor Halei:: ' " Theatres are quite •' different.'' Their business es dono' at' night." : Councillor Shirtcliffe did not agree that ■ there' was a great-, difference, between hotels ■ and' billiard .saloons, and it. seemed' to him that those who voted for 11 'o'clock closing i would bo-obliged,! if -consistent, to advocate the extension of, hotel i hours to 11 o'clock. ■ Jle was glad the Inspectors' reports were favourable, but thought ,it unfortunate that ■ .bookmakers .were in any way connected with ■ certain of the saloons.. THE MAYOR'S VIEWS. ' r Tho Mayor said it;was ridiculous to con- ' demn. a; pastime just because it was .some- ! times'used'for gambling purposes. If such : ' a view were adopted, a great many things, including even elections—(laughter)—would have to he , stopped. \ Billiards could bo ■ made the ■ instrument of betting, and the re- ■ ports indicated that betting was going on in ~ somo of the saloons',without the knowledge of \ the licensees;' The' for that, and.-could-.be made more stringent if required; .He did not see what evils could arise in places that were open to tho police and the public 1 , and whore .'only soft drinks were sold.. A game of .billiards was far 1 more restful to a man whoso brain, was J weary.''With: working-'out difficult problems > than resting in-'bed. ;He would vote for tho 1 amendment.. ■v' l^ ' Councillor Ballinger (chairman of" tho com- '■ mitteo) said there were other places besides ! the billiard saloons where those. who could 1 not afford to ■ belong ,jtp clubs could obtain 3 amusement and recreation in tho evenings. The amendment j(clbsing .at 10.30)' was 3 carried by, seven votek .tg six, the voting " being as follows: ' For the amendment— *■. The' Mayor,' ; ■ Councillors" Biss; Carmichael, " Cohen,'Fisher, 1 'Hindm'Sr'sh, Slorrah. Against „ —Councillors Ballinger, Hales, Luke, M'Lar- ■ en,. Shirtcliffe, Smith. -