SOLDIERS AND LIQUOR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 250, 17 October 1918, Page 8

SOLDIERS AND LIQUOR.

CDOSfNG OF HOTELS ON. ARRIVAL >v TROOP3HTPS.

AT WELLINGTON.

' The":prohibition" of the sale of alcoholic -liquor under the War Regulations -which /prevailed on tMonday afternoon ■was continued on Tuesday morning. The 'reason was' that a troopship happened to call into Wellington en route for' some other destination. .It was reported vesterday, says Wednesday's Sew Zealand Times/ thai there would be a further closing to-day on account of the arrival of another troopship. A large section of the public is becoming ' incensed over the matter, the inconvenience arising from want of notice of hours of closing being intolerable. No one knows an hour beforehand when the hotels are going to close, and boarders are included in _the prohibition. Moreover, the prohibiten notice* .applies to wholesale as TS-eii as retail vendors, so that is brought io a-standstill all round. With .uccHrive days of closing thing * working out as a suuster end of the -wldge io total prohibition That is current opinion on the part of moderate parties, who object to the undue infringement ot the liberty of the subject. So far as prohibition on the arrival of soldiers is concerned, it is declared by many that it is an insult to those who have fought and bled for the Empire. In any case, it is thought that the present regulations are too stringent. There might be at least one or two hours for the hotels to open, even though there might be soldiers abroad. 'As a matter of fact, during the past two days there have been only a in sight in the city. The opinion is that a miserable farce ; is being enacted for no earthly practical good. ' ,' r .- ■ '- . ;,

Further particulars from the Agents,