TEN O'CLOCK BAR CLOSING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 60, 11 March 1903, Page 3

TEN O'CLOCK BAR CLOSING.

A public meeting, otvenrd by Me' New Piym uth Courclof the Churches, was held at, St. Mary's Hall on Tu. sJsy ; ■ vdDing in support cf the movement for a 10 o'clock licei se. The Rev. S. ■ 3 Oibornp, pi esid-ni of the Council,' who presided, pointed out that 10 o clock W£s th-i hour for closing asj sptci6ed in th 9 Act, and he rtfarred to j that; hour h v:tg been fixed as the' ime at Auckland and Wa» ganui. He also aliuded !o the neces-ity of c'osing wcrkingmen'ii aid gentlemen's clubt at. the hour of ttfn. He eso ained his position fully, mentioning that ho wus not a p ohibitio ! .'ist nor au extiemo man. What he o l jeered to was the abuse ot alcoholic liquor. He considered the oiily remedy was 10 rim :he liqior traffic under State control, and if the element of greed cmld be eliminated from the traffic it would get rid of the j present abuse?. With regud to the 10 o'clock liceise, be detailed his abortive interview with the president of the Lie ns?d V cfcualle r 8 Asaoiistion with regard to a compromisand as this could be atrahg.d, it w.is thought recessary to run candidates for the Licensing Comomtee pieJgel to 10 o'clock cl sing, S > far as he was concerned he was in favour < f c'osif g at 6 p.m., the came as dr p rs and others.

Rsv, F. G. Evars moved, That in tha b-st ibt> res's of th* c inmuuity, and cspedially of tha ycui'g m-? 1, is is desirable ibat hotel bars sh.ulJ i<e closed at 10 o'clock as in Aui klan-J and Wai'ganui, ar d tbia me tiug premises its support to tha ca> d ria ■ s nomina'ed by the U'uccil i f the (Jim ches who aie pledged to 10 o'clock dosing. He emphasised the fact t&at tto mee'ing was disa-sociated fiom any p i-:y, and hsd for its so'e object the wt If re ii the community. Ha regrett d he Licecssd Victuallers had not seen th.-ir way to accept the propo.al mu. A few years ago t l iere were spe ial circumstar.cis for keeping theho r . ls open, as trains and steamers arrived l it , but now this was altered. The prop«. d members of the Licensing Commit < o would be pledged to ro o her m t'l-r than 10 o'clock closing. He w.is only too glad to do his beat fir tb mcr.ti good of the people, ai d, while b longing to no extreme p>rty, he f-lt le must do his very best in support •. f 'ho candidates to be brought forward 10 attain that ot j ct. Mr Stsn'ey Smith scconltd tha motion.

The Rev. P. A. Bennett slid he was the solitary repreeenta'ive present of the proposed committee. H e con id-Ted that from a humanitarian piint of vi«w the ex : ensiou of the closing hour till 11 p.m. was against the moral, physical, aud spiritual welfare if the commutity. Speaking as a representative tf the Maoric, he pointed out that on several occasions Maoris had been "run in" as a consequence of loiter ng abcut the town fill | late in the evening and getiing drunk. He hop»d the sympathisers would go [forward filled with hope, and the day 'w< uld come when iheir aepiratio-s I would be fulfilled.

In putting the motion, Mr Osborne ' xpressed a coi fi lent opinion thtt Mr Bennett wculd be elected, and lie hiped all the other candidates proposed by the Council would be elected. He urged that there should be noillfeeling over the election.

The motion was then orried unani mously.

The Rev. Wo-lley pcin'ed cut the Lecessity of tames'ness of purpose in carrying out the pioposul. He suggested the forma ion of a strong committee and the collection of funds to cirry on the campaign. Mr Cocker advocated that acy suggestions made sir.uld not be puhl'sh d, :-s it might give the show away. He p-op s'd that the meeting tbould j.o in o cmujittr e.

Tbe mo 1 ion was seconded but with-drawn-oo further discussion.

A vote tf thanks to tho chairman, moved by Kev. 3. J. Serpt-11, carried by acclamation and acknowledged. Tho meeting then resolved i'telf into a commit.ee to arrange details for the conduct of tbe elictioD, and an executive committee was appointed.