AGAINST EARLY CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3122, 28 June 1917, Page 7

AGAINST EARLY CLOSING

LICENSED VIC'rUM,LEItS PROTEST.

By TclcuraDh—Press Association. Christchurch, Juno 27. At tho annual meeting of tho Cantorbury laconsed Victuallers' Association to-day tho following resolutions in regard to tho movement tor closing hotel bars at (i p.m. wero carried:—"That this agitation is not a bone-fide effort to mcrcaso national efficiency, but is an underhand attempt by tho Prohibition party to securo their ond, contrary to tho will of the people as last expressed, by. taking advantage of tho war situation;" "that to assert Hint national officiency is impaired by tho present JiotcL hops is a wicked libel upon tho working man;" "that national efficiency is unimpaired by tho prdsent conditions, as is indicated by the fact that in Chiistohurch and district, with a population of 00,000, convictions avorago 2J rifir day, or one in every 30,000, a fraction ridiculously small;" "that tho hotels' of this city havo always beon well conducted, and interference would immediately impair their efficiency and disturb tho public convenience;" "that many of tho 10,000 hotol employees of Now //caland would bo discharged wero restrictions introduced, with tho consequent bad effect upon tho unskilled labour market;" that 6ix o'clock closing w'ill not reduco tho working hours of hotel servants, it will only mean tho employment of one staff instead of two;" "that it is untruo to state that hotels (iro the only businesses which Tomain open after six o'clock;" "that hotels aro public institutions, meeting a public neod, heavily licensed, hoavily taxed, and heavily rated;" "that arbitrary interference wonld seriously disturb tho country's economy and reduce tho financial return to tho Stato;" "that tho uso of tho name of Mr. Lloyd George as a supporter of prohibition by organisers of this agitation is quite unwarranted, as • with the added experience of responsibility ho ha 6 now abandoned prohibition as cure for national efficiency;" "for all of tho above reasons wo, tho members of tho association, hereby enter our emphatio protest against any Government action which will furIhor restrict (he business of hotolkeopors."