EASILY CLOSING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17198, 19 June 1916, Page 3

EASILY CLOSING.

DEPUTATION TO MR hi ASSET,

the anti-" shouting-” pko. POSATiOn Saturday a deputation of professional and business men. which filled Cabinet room to overflowing, waited on the Prime Minister, states the Wellington “ Post,” to urge' in emphatic terms that the hotels should close an six o'clock. to prevent excessive, dnn.i- ---• „ The deputation was in charge 7*. Hon ■>. G. W. Aitkeu. who introduced it to the Pinne iMinister. Mr R. Hall, the first speaker, said that efficiency was Britain’s watchwor , individually and collectively. Britain was first and foremost, but it was ■cursed by the drink millstone round its neck. (Hear, hear.) A great, deal had been said in regard to the question or revenue, and the point had been made that the Government was able to meet the expenses ot various departments with the revenue from .drink- - The Prime Minister: 1 should like to ask what the deputation wants? Is it prohibition or shortening ot Hours." Mr Hall: Both, sir. _ .Voices: No, no, sir, six o dock closinc. , P Mr Hall added that the revenue of the Dominion would in no way be ■jeopardised by tbe removal ot the drink traffic. Ho would pledge the word of tho commercial and prolessionn! members of tho community to make good any/deficiency in revenue caused bv tho suggested reform until such time as tbe necessary taxation could be brought down. (Hear, hear.) Ho pointed out that while the shops hart to close at six o’clock tho hotels wore allowed to remain open until 10 p.m., and though the community was debarred from spending money on legitimate objects it was induced to spend money in directions that were nob necessary. T-f a. referendum on the question was taken ho was sure that it would result in tho success of six o’clock closing. Mr Hall added : “ Hie deputation consists of men of all shades of opinion, and we realise that, this business is getting us down, and wo must conquer it.” .ANTI-” SHOUTING ” CLAUSE.

Mr C. Cathie urged that six o’clock closing was very necessary, particularly at tho present time. Ho had attended the proceedings of the committee which was dealing with the petition in favour of early closing, and he had noticed that a great point had been made by tho other sido of the fact that they had been granted licenses and were consequently under control. He would point out, however, that every shopkeeper had to have a license and was subject to different awards. He was pleased to see that provision had been made for preventing “shouting,” but this provision could bo easily evaded. I!’ a man wanted to “shout” lie would only have to say, “Here’s a shilling; go and pay for yourself!” (Hear, hear.) The Prime Minister: Do you suggest that that is possible. Mr Cathie replied that tho ok me would be of no use unless the hours were restricted. There was a very strong feeling throughout tho Dominion that six o’clock closing should bo brought in now. Mr C. M. Luke stressed the point that parents would be prepared to give more of their sons to the war if they wore not afraid of the temptations of drink and indirect evils. It was felt that victory was delayed owing to the influence of drink and its consequences on the soldiers.. (Hear, hear.) Mr C. It. Smith expressed the opinion that the shortening of the hours as far as hotels were concerned would ha.sten tho termination of the war. AN APPEAL FOR. RETURNED MEN. Mr VT. Ferguson entered an appeal on behalf of the returned soldiers, wiio, ho said, were not recovering as they should do. Mr J. M'Eidov/ney referred to tho number of young men who were to bo seen drunk. On the previous evening, while returning from the naval concert in the 'Town Hall, he hart no fewer than eight- soldiers under tho influence of drink, and he felt quite sure that tin's would not have been the case haul six o’clock closing been in force. Mr E. J. King drew attention to

tho number of young men who wore to be seen drank on the last trains to the camps. Every soldier whoso health was impaired was a loss to the community, and it would be interesting to know how many men had been laid aside —indirectly through drink—by venereal disease. Other members of the deputation also urged the early closing of tho hotels. PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY. The Prime. Minister, replying, said he wanted the deputation to under-: .stand that tho members of the Government and of Parliament, speaking generally, were just as anxious for tho welfare of tho soldiers as anyone. (Hear, hear.) A-Voice: Wo believe it.

Mr Massey added that there, were differences of opinion, but the Government. and members of Parliament intended to do the right tiling, and had endeavoured to do tho right thing right through. There seemed to be a good deal of misapprehension m regard to tho request for early closing. .Ho bad noticed with regret the that the Government had recei vert petitions with 100.000 signa lories in favour of early closing, and had turned thorn down. He hoped that this was clue to ignorance ot the real state of affairs. A member of tho deputation: It must, have been.

CONSIDERATION BY COMMITTEE. The Prime Minister went on to state that the usual facilities had been given in regard to the petitions, and. indeed, the committee had been set up earlier than usual to deal with them. It had been sitting for some days, hearing evidence, and it would piobably take a week to finish the hearing of evidence. Under the A\ar Regulations Act Amendment. Bill it was intended to deal with tho liquoi traffic during the war as far ns it was possible to <io so. 'lho Bill provided for anti-” shouting” and made “shouting” punishable by a fine. Lt that fine was not paid the alternative was imprisonment. He had no .statistics before him just then as lar as Loudon was concerned, but lie knew it was a fact that the convictions lotdrunkenness had largely decreased there through the anti-“ shouting" lj 'a voice: But they have restricted areas I . , , Mr Massey: “Yes, but the hotels arc open on Sundays, which no “ llc would tolerate in this country. Referring to the recent proceed nigs: ot tho Wellington Licensing Committee (which took drastic steps to deal witi, offending licensees), the Prune Mmiter said ho believed that the police had done their duty. H n was not properly e.mductert it sliou bo closed down without delay. '>iUi this point, however, the Government had nothing to do. New /arniand was one of the. very lew countries m U-c Empire that had refused to Imo vet can teens in camp. . (Hear, , just mentioned this to show that- ; • Government, was doing all it ix):-s.bl\ could to remove temptations from Hu soldiers. He dirt not know what enort the Petitions Lominittee would bring down, and he knew tuero tut- a difference of opinion among tho members of the committee. Also, no hop o that, it would not go that t . soldiers were addicted to dims. (lb.a. . h»ar.) He had mixed with them to a certain extent, and he believed that the average soldier was less ecJcncted t. chink than the average civilian. \ deputationist: They ought, not to be, because they are young men. Tho Prime Minister then paid n warm tribute to tho work being done oy the Soldiers’ Club. Tbe women, he said were doing a wonderful work, and did not think they hart received the support they were entitled to. H<would sugost to tlm members of the deputation that they should, do all they could in help the Hub. WAR REGULATIONS BILL.

He* con tinned that the Aar Regulations Bill would not Ire dealt with until after the debate on the Financial Statement. which would probably last for ten ci'avs or so. If anything was none in the wav of carlv closing it wuulc. be done in that Bill. Until the report o. the Petition Committee was received nothing could be done, and it Would be improper for him to commit ir,r Government to anything, although lie could express ins private opinions, rlt; could onfv S!tv that he was anxious to do all he could to promote the well are of the soldiers during the tune they represented New Zealand hete and at tho front. . Tbe deputation, before leaving, necorde'd a vote of thanks to the Bruno Minister, and gave him three rousing cheers.