SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 30938, 23 July 1917, Page 2

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

W •DEPUTATION'TO '. -MINISTER. :.^i ;'; LIQUOR TRADE PEOPOSAL^t "'Ter Press Association.' ; , AVELIJINGTON, July 21. ' A 'deputation' of the liqubr tradeihte'rests waited on the Pviinn Minister to day, Mr Hcrcinian also being pre'-, sent, , Mr A, E. Kcriiot, president of the •National Council,' representing all the liquor infcrests' opposed to further're-' strielions stated , that _ the agitation, was a breach of faith in the light/of the. contract entered into at the last poll. Restrictions imposed last year resulted in a reduction of twenty-five per cent, in'hotel business, and the trade would be unable to bear the dual sacrifice of shorter hours and -antishouting, which would mean ruinatW to the majority, To meet the exigencies of iho'position the trade proposed:— I—The repeal of the anti-shouting

regulations. » 2,-rThe curtailment of the hours during the war, ami six months thereafter, to between 8 a.m. and D'p.m,; ' •

'3.—The trade would bear the loss entailed thereby without' requiring compensation, but if further curtailment' was requisite as a national necessity the trade should-be conh pensflted, '

Mr C'aldridge, president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association,.'said that ftiriher restrictions would make it difficult for hotel-keepers to meet the financial obligations entered into following the 1914 poll, Shorter hours dould drive trade into illegitimate channels. They were no,- necessary'to'win the war, as New Zealand was not a muiiititm area, The Savings Bank records showed there was no necessity for regulations for secondary purposes and the crime statistics showed a reduction of offences during the war period, Mr .S. G. Gibbons, for the country licensees, raid that the resections would make it impossible to maintain the standard, of comfort.

Mr Massey, in reply, said the other side of the question had been placed before him by a deputation; and both would receive consideration. He believed Pailiamen: would have to reconsider the whole licensing question, so as to get rid of the agitation from year, to year. The British Parliament Committee had reported in favour of State control, and though personally he was no: enamoured of State ownership, if it were to be a solution of the difficulty they would consider it,

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. (Per Press Association,) WELLINGTON, July 20,. A deputation representing the <busi v ncas and fanning people of Auckland district wailed on the Prime Minister to-' day to advocate the six o'clock closing of hotels in the interests of national efficiency. Mr Mnsjcy, in replying, pointed out New Zealand's share in the war meant very heavy financial considerations, and it was absolutely essential that financial matters should ■ be disposed of first. After that one of the first. Bills to be introduced would be a Bill dealing with the matter in which the deputation was interested, niul he hoped it would be satisfactory to them and to the peopl? of the country generally,