WOMEN DRINKING IN HOTELS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 217, 11 June 1935, Page 11

WOMEN DRINKING IN HOTELS

■» Authorities Dissatisfied PLAIN SPEAKING TO LICENSEES “Your committee is entirely dissatisfied with the numerous convictions which have occurred during the lust few months,” said Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., at the annual meeting yesterday ox the Wellington Licensing Committee. “Convictions for breaches of the Licensing Act have been far too numerous; 1 think there has been a record number. “We know that licensees have a hard row to hoe, but if they try to encourage after-hour trading the committee will have to deal with their licenses. I view with very serious eyes breaches of the Licensing Act. ,The committee has been fairly lenient today, but they will not be so again. “The committee deprecate strongly the presence of numbers of women on licensed premises. Under the Act women can legally be supplied with liquor, but we look to the licensees to observe moderation. It is not right, either for the future generation or for the present one, to encourage the wholesale consumption of liquor by women. In the interests of humanity we trust licensees will, if they do not discourage it, at least refrain from doing anything to encourage It. We look to them as men.

' “Bookmaking is another undesirable thing; a licensee who tacitly or actively promotes betting is encouraging an offence against the law of his country. If he will uphold the law in this respect, be will have the support of the police, the magistracy and the Licensing Committee. "Another matter—l cannot say that it is a small matter, for It concerns the safety of the public—is the provision of fire-escapes and notices in all parts of the house advising the public where the escapes are. This is important as a provision not only against fire, but also against the event of a serious earthquake, such as might possibly occur in this city at any time." With regard to tho practice of women drinking in hotels, Inspector G. B. Edwards stated that he considered it his duty to mention to the committee that some hotels appeared to be laying themselves out to cater for that sort of trade. In one hotel police officers had found as many as 19 or 20 women drinking at one time.