NO SHOUTING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2861, 28 August 1916, Page 4

NO SHOUTING

To-day begins the "no shouting" | era in Now Zealand, so far as tho purchase of liquor for consumption in hotels is concerned. The now law means a more radical restriction on the habits of tho people than many imagine. "Shouting" is a part of the daily life of a very large proportion o r tho population. Tho social'habit of .dropping into a hotel for a drink and a talk will lose much of its attractiveness when tho man who issues thoi invitation to a friend or acquaintance to accompany him into tho bar knows that each must pay for his own refreshment. Whether the change will lead to a reduction in the amount of drinking that goes on may be open to doubt, but it probably will have that effect. _ Tho real evil of "shouting" lies in the fact that the person or persons "shouted" for usually feel it incumbent on them to return tho compliment. Thus, if three or four persons go into a hotel togethenand one of tho number "shouts," one or all of the others usually follow suit, and instead of one round of drinks there are three or _ four. This practice presumably will be largely checked by tho new regulations, when each man pays for his own drink, for there will _then be no, or at any rate less, social obligation to repeat the order. The Licensed Victuallers' Association has very properly taken steps to advise hotelkeepers of their responsibilities in the matter, and lias urged strict compliance with the law on the part of hotel employees. It may mean a loss to the hotelkeepers, but any encouragement 1 to "shouting'' given by them or their employees is likely ultimately to lead to still more serious loss. The strongest defence the liquor business has against those who wish to do away with the trade altogether is the proper conduct of hotels, and a strict observance of the licensing law. A few badly-con-ducted hotels in a city prejudice the whole of those engaged in the business, and it is, therefore, in the interests of tho trade generally that its members should discountenance and discourage any of their number who fall short of what is required in the conduct of their hotels. It is well, too, that the public should realise that tho man who "shouts" is liable to punishment as well as the hotel employee who permits it and the licensee of tho premises. "Shouting" may seem a difficult offence to detect, but tho penalties prescribed are heavy, and the fact that the new regulations aro a war measure will deprive the offender when caught of any chance of sympathetic consideration.