MORALITY OF BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15521, 31 January 1914, Page 10

MORALITY OF BILLIARDS.

■■■-.'. , : NEW PLYMOUTH DISCUSSION, f SALOONS TO CLOSE AT 10 m .- " . [BY ■; TELEGHAPH.—OWN : COESESPOJfBENR] i, - - - - -'-.». h i ' • New Plymouth,: Friday^ The billiard saloon question was again fa cussed at a meeting of the New Plymouth Borough ■ Council. At the last meeting the council, it was decided to giant a 1: extension \of the hour " for closing tic saloons until 11 p.m. A strong deputatioi waited on the 'council, and made, an it effectual protest. _. Since then it was 'mf' gested that a public meeting be called toy protest against the council? action, tsi ! this idea was-- dropped when it -tides'-: i known that a motion had been fc-bled to' ' rescind the council's resolution. . -■V \ . Several members of the councilspoke, and submitted : that ''public opinion M "proclaimed the extension a mistake. One councillor argued that h&titi saloons were the poor men's clubs. Thtrt : ' was no vice in them. If there were,"they V should be abolished altogether. Surslj/if.•': there was any gambling going, on itt«ci' place just as readily between 9 and'lo-. p.m. as it would from 10 to 11 'p.mV.-Jjai-council was in a better position to jufijo •. of the matter than the public, since jto had had > information from other taints which the public had not had.- .'. .''% : /V: tf;! Another • councillor supported this.'jieir. ■■ He had, be said, gathered information from >.t many sources, and was certain there to • no vice in the billiard saloons of the town. : t t ' i% After considerable discussion, us : motion rescinding : the resolution of siteneion was carried. - ; It was "resohal that youths under 18 be excluded from billiard v saloons. - - , a,. - -y ■ 1 OTASUBJJ BA6OOJTS. *»•';-*".' EARLY CLOSING RESENTED' ; 3? The Borough Council's new by- - laws, wlucb came into operation on fca ■ SBth inst' provide for the closing of a!! billiard saloons at 10 p.m. This is nmdi- ; opposed . by. : many ■of the local sportsmen, who regard it as an interference with 1 -foe : li : liberty of the subject and an injustice to the saloonkeepers: The question\fiftfl| twice debated by the council on a motion % for rescinding- the offending by-law, and 9 11 *be second wjeasipn the motion was rt3ected by the Mayor's casting vet*, 1 ~ there was not a full council present,ry Mr. Atkinson being absent, and, as alrejdy'j reported; fee has given notice of his int;;tion to move at the next council meeting ' that-the '.by-law>' bo rescinded. 'Two in- ' fluential deputations' from local'chin'to'i' waited on the council when the Matter Va',:. under consideration, and urged the cowls v. to adhere, to the by-law, representing that - « ,was much in the interests of the huffierous ; youths who frequented the saloons. J-here isnow some talk of anotlwr ans 1 larger.deputation.being rent to tt*-'nest'-council meeting to oppose Mr. Atkinson's 1 motion. V ••.-■• ;;■..; i.v.vi: rt? 1 ? contention is that a- great in jusfe" Ms being done to one at least of the sab*; fteepers, ; who leased his premises on .to understanding" that he would always be s!« lowed to keep open until' 11 p.m., '"nil-. that now he is ■ deprived of the most profitable:hour m'-'the' day; while "in additior Ue is made to pay £2 a year for a license. '