CIVIC BILLIARDS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 92, 18 April 1908, Page 4

CIVIC BILLIARDS.

The Rev. J. J. North has in recent correspondence /in the Wellington Evening Post touched upon, a subiect jot some little' interest, that o" Jbilliard?i ayiS g a md its surr<>undings. Though Mr North does not always please by his outspoken public utterances, which occasionally cause hard things to be said in reply, he has hit upon a matter m his latest contribution to the press which will gain more approval than most of his reported sayings have Clone: He is an opponent of the licensing of billiard-rooms, for the simple reason that, in Wellington at least, it is admitted that they become the rendezvous of an undesirable class, It is stated that one firm of bookmakers m the Empire City pay £8 per week for their billiard saloon; this in face ,of the fact that the city by-laws refuse a license to any saloon m which bookmakers are interested, mis fact is most eloquent as to the use to which billiard saloons may be put. Mr North thinks there can be but one way in which to deal with this question, and he writes, in diction for winch he alone is responsible :■—' 'The city should run its own saloons. They run a library; and they, run out-door grounds for athletics: There is no sound reason why they should not run billiard saloons. Tne handsome profits ot the venture would speedily make WaM 00118 r! c °Sllisecl Places of comov\£ fi«t nmk of games womu enjoy the p uri ty which belongs to all1

amateur spore.'" ■ The suggestion is an excellent one, and it is somewhat surprising that it has not previously been thought of. Blenheim councillors, for instance, have recently been very much interested in the licensing of billiard rooms, and the suitability of applicants for conducting them. Why not adopt inr North's suggestion, and set up their own?