HOTEL HOURS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25851, 23 May 1945, Page 6

HOTEL HOURS

PRESENT SYSTEM FAVOURED 1 FORMER POLICE OFFICER’S VIEWS (P.A.) AUCKLAND, May 22. Experiences gained during 44 years' service in the police force were told to the Royal Commission on licensing to-day by Charles William Lopdell, superintendent of police at Wellington until his retirement early this year. The witness was called by the Crown. Prior to the introduction of 6 p.m. closing in 1917, said witness, the only times the hotels were closed were from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. In'some slum areas in Wellington, for instance, queues of men were to be seen coming and going from the hotels between those hours. Six o’clock closing heralded a change in the habits of the people, and in the post-war years while the liquor temptation continued for men about the streets, many went to their homes to join their families. Pictures and other entertainments became more popular. Views of Licencees Licensees to whom witness had spoken were unanimous that 6 o'clock closing should be continued. Some considered it “ a blessing.” Until tne present war the general public appeared to be satisfied with 6 o’clock closing. Witness expressed the belief that the regulations relating to the King Country proclaimed area should be enforced until such time as the Maoris consented to changes. He would favour the granting of licences in the King Country provided this would eliminate the illegal sales of liquor. The opening of hotels in the area would mean that supplies for the workers such as those in sawmills would be more easily obtained. The sly-grogger would continue to operate in areas where there were no hotels, but it was possible that a new form of illegal trading might arise. The presence of 10 or 15 hotels would multiply the quantities of liquor going into the King Country by several hundred per cent. He had never seen much sign of “ doped ” liquor, the sly-grogger selling liquor to his customers as he bought it. There were other sly-groggers, however, who adulterated supplies in order to increase the quantities. Longer Leases Suggested

In answer to Mr J. D. Willis, counsel assisting the commission, witness said he agreed that penalties for breaches of the licensing laws should be made heavier. Witness submitted that the terms of the leases and of managers’ appointments should be examined by some suitable body such as a licensing committee. He had received complaints from men who had taken over the management of an hotel, either as managers or as lessees, and had found that the business as shown on the books could only be maintained by after-hour trading. Witness suggested that leases should be for longer periods in • order to overcome the licensees being penalised if they built up businesses by having to pay an increased rent. “We have had a lot of difficulty in connection with the supplying of liquor to bona fide hotel lodgers,” said the witness, who submitted that if the law was to continue to give a lodger the right to have liquor after hours it should be in glasses and not in containers which could be taken off the premises. Witness instanced a case which came under his notice where an hotel lodger who was a member of a football club would ring the hotel for a supply of liquor to be sent to the club. He pointed out that the lodger was at that time within his legal rights, and the police were unable to take any action.

Lodgers and Liquor

Ex-superintendent Lopdell expressed the opinion that lodgers should not be allowed to supply guests with liquor after hours. “This has been an almost insuperable problem,” he said. “We used to have 10 or 15 servicemen coming into an hotel and taking rooms while the rest of the ‘ regiment ’ would be their guests.” Witness had visited race meetings in the Hamilton district and at Trentham and had found the liquor booths generally well conducted, but he thought that in the interests of road safety the hours of closing the booths should be laid down. He had put it to the licensing committees in the district that the booths should be closed at the scheduled starting time of the last race. Witness, said the best reform ever carried out was 6 o’clock closing from the point of view of the public, the police, and the trade itself. He was strongly opposed to opening the hotels after ~6 p.m.. and while he had a high regard for the two police officers who. had given evidence he did not think they would advocate later hours if they had had his experience with later closing.