MIXED DRINKING

Hokitika Guardian, 6 June 1930, Page 7

MIXED DRINKING

COMPLAINT 13V POLICE

XV Alt XING TO LICENSEES

DUNEDIN, Juno 2

Drinking by men and women to"ether in :i certain number of hotels was the chief complaint made by the police to the annual meeting; of the Dunedin Licensing Committee held to-day. Mr .J. it. Bartholomew, S.M., presided. Inspector Cummings submitted the annual return and report as well as a schedule of convictions against licensees.

I have to draw attention to the mixed drinking habit,” said the Inspector. “In some hotels this is apparently on the increase, and during my annual inspection it has come under by personal observation. I have Co Mid that some licensees will not permit mixed drinking on their premises, while others apparently encourage it, in one hotel mixed drinking is very pronounced, and it goes on with the knowledge of the licensee’s wife. A small room on the right of the entrance ball appears to lend it' self to this typo of drinking. I drew the attention of the licensee’s wife to what was going on.” Referring to betting on licensed premises. Inspector Cummings said that in consequence of the police prosecuting bookmakers lor carrying on their business in offices and in their homes, he now found that they were extending their operations to the pubiie an,d private bars of licensed premises. In evidence of this the Inspector recalled two convictions of such offences, and said the cases showed that licensees did not exercise sufficient control over their premises. From enquiries made he found that a number of the licensees took exception to bookmakers going to their hotels, while it was apparent that others encouraged them into the bar for trade purposes. “As regards illicit trading,” went, on the Inspector, “1 lind that notwithstanding the number of licensees who have been dealt with for tins offence during the year, others have not taken notice of repeated warnings extended to them, and have continued the nefarious practice. A prevailing practice is for a person to book into an hotel, and while assuming that he is a bona fide lodger purchase a bottle of liquor and take it out to his friends on the street) where it is consumed from the bottle. In certain localities this practice is very pronounced on Sundays and on Friday and Saturday evenings.” The chairman said the committee desired to express its strong disapproval of mixed drinking. Betting on licensed premises was also a matter of complaint by the police, and if a definite offence was proved would lend to disciplinary action being taken.

“The committee regrets that the conduct of same of the hotels lias been of the unsatisfactory nature referred to in the police report,” said the chairman, “and it directs the ~ particular, attention of all licensees to the complaints set out therein. The committee will take all necessary . steps in its power to insist on the proper conduct of hotels and to deal with been ocs convicted of offences.”