THE HOURS OF HOTELS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4601, 3 July 1917, Page 5

THE HOURS OF HOTELS.

EARLY CLOSING DEPUTATION TO PREMIER.

MR MASSEY DECLINES TO COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT.

TRIBUTE TO SOBRIETY OF N.Z SOLDIERS.

Press Association Telegram. WELLINGTON, July 2. A deputation, representing the Dominion National Convention of the New Zealand Alliance, interviewed the Prime Minister this evening to repeat the request that during the period of tlie war the hotel bars should be. closed from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. The deputation was introduced by Mr. Poole, M.P. The Rev. R. S. Gray was the principal speaker. He said the petitions would be presented to the House signed by upwards of 120,000 people. Mr. Massey, in reply, said lie acknowledged the moderate language which the representation hacl made. He could not say definitely that no poll would be taken this year. It seemed probable there would- be no election this year. “If a general election became necessary a poll would be taken in the usual way. Their request for a special poll required a good deal of consideration, and there was a good deal to be said, on both sides. He could only assure the deputation that whatever was said to the contrary the average member of Parliament and the average member of the Ministry was just as anxious to promote the sobriety of the population as the average member of the public. In case there might he any misunderstanding about the soldiers, he said he had seen a great deal of our soldiers in England during the last few months, and -he could testify to their sobriety and good conduct. They were not all plaster saints, hut he could say that in all that time, when he had met thousands of them, he never saw a New Zealand soldier inebriated. He never saw one in the slightest degree affected by liquor in all that time. The Chief of Police in London had told him that none of the Empire soldiers police so little trouble or behaved so well as the New Zealand soldiers. This was something for which we all had reason to be proud. . In regard to the request for early closing legislation, he could say the Government was not going to shirk the question. Cabinet had not considered it in any yet. It must he a policy matter. No Minister had any right to commit the Government to any course of action • until Cabinet had dealt with it. Cabinet would have an opportunity of dealing with the question, and until that had been done he could say nothing further then. It would he for Parliament to deal with the question when the Bill came down,* and any member could move any amendment he pleased. In reply to a question, Mr. Massey said the Bill could not come down at once, but would come down in due course, and it would not be delayed until the dying hours of the session. He would nou commit the Government to any measure providing for a referendum. This would be a matter for consideration. His experience had been that the referendum was not satisfactory. He did not refer to the local option poll. That would stand. His opinion, however, was that the elected representatives of the people should carry the responsibility.