BEER AND CLUBS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22390, 9 April 1936, Page 8

BEER AND CLUBS

DEBATE IN COMMONS LIGHT-HEARTED MEMBERS AMENDING BILL WITHDRAWN [fkom our own correspondent] LONDON, March 14 Light-hearted debate followed the introduction in the House of Commons by Mr. G. Gledhill, Conservative member for Halifax, of a bill to amend the licensing laws. The bill proposed, among other things, 11 p.m. closing of public-houses in London and 10.30 p.m. closing' in the provinces. It was also proposed that clubs should be subject to greater regulation and observation. Commander Bower won the first laugh from an eager House by a complaint o£ the " low, moaning noises," with which Lady Astor had accompanied Mr. GleclhiU's speech for 20 minutes. "I have a great respect for the opinion of a teetotaler," he said. "I never dream of trying to force him to take alcoholic liquor, or indeed stop him from drinking some of those non-alcoholic beverages which my medical friends assure me are far more deleterious to health than is good beer. (Laughter.) "I once told Mr. Isaac Foot that if he drank the same amount of beer as I did he would not do himself any harm, but if I smoked the same amount of strong tobacco as he did 1 would be in my grave within a week. If I were to drink the same amount of milk as Lady Astor drinks, and she took the same amount of beer as I do, I should be the/ sufferer." (Laughter.) Mr. A. P. Herbert's Speech On the subject of the hours of bartenders, Mr. A. P. Herbert said he had been going into the question lately at great personal peril on the spot; in fact, on many spots. (Laughter.) He had come to the conclusion that on the whole the publican was a good employer. He agreed that barmen and barmaids had to work far too long, and he saw no reason why that should not be regulated. It would be refreshing if, for a change, they could refrain from giving this dog (the publichouse) a bad name. He would not follow Dr. Salter into his medical researches, but, at any rate, beer did not have to be boiled before it was fit to drink. (Laughter.) •Mr. Herbert said that when ho raised tlis question of the privilege of the House last year in the matter of drinking facilities there was no lighthearted lalk. The House did not then say these things did not matter. It marched out to battle, horse, foot, Attorney-General and all, to defend its rights and privileges. He wished to congratulate it. (Laughter.) The High ourt decided that continual access to refreshments of every kind was essential for the conduct of the business of the House. (Laughter.) He did not think the people demanded the same privileges and were glad that the House had them. But they would like to see the same spirit prevailing when their simple human desires were being considered. , Lady Astor's Retort

Lady Astor contended that the Government 7 should do something in regard to bogus clubs. Turning to Mr. Herbert, she described him as "the playboy of the drink world." (Laughter.) Mr. Herbert: I suggest that a regular course of narcotics would be extremely good for the noble lady. She would not be so restless. (Laughter.) Lady Astor: The noble lady will be restless in this House long after the

member for Oxford University (Mr. Herbert) has left it. (Laughter.) Sir John Simon then announced the Government's decision to deal with bogus clubs in a bill next session. He objected to the scheme of extended hours proposed in the bill, because it would rather increase than abolish anomalies. Discretion, according to local circumstances, was preferable to a formal but sham uniformity. As to'bogus clubs, however, he held it was high time to deal with them. In the present state of the law any person with 5s could start a club and the only form of regulation, to strike the club off the register, was of no practical use because it could be started again immediately. Tlris was a particular compartment of the licensing problem which could be dealt with by itself. The Government would do eo next year, but he put in the Qaveat that the task was much more difficult than it appeared. In view of what the Home Secretary had said, Mr. Gledhill withdrew the bill.