THE OPERATIONS OF THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS SALES CONTROL ACT, 1895.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 289, 6 February 1896, Page 13

THE OPERATIONS OF THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS SALES CONTROL ACT, 1895.

In our two last issues we published the full text of the Act alluded to, and we have no doubt our readers have carefully considered its important bearings on the trade. In many essential points it is nuch more drastic than the acts which to a large extent it incorporates or repeals. More especially does this apply to the increased penalties to be imposed for a conviction for Sunday trading. Recognising this, the trade (if our information is correct) has entered into a signed agreement to religiously close on Sundays, and to such an extent in this direction does the agreement go that even lodgers and bona fide travellers are not to be supplied with alcoholic liquors in the hotels situated within the precincts of the city. If such a compact has been made, we hope it will in every case be strictly adhered to, although it will inflict hardships on certain individuals who look upon their hotels as their homes, and whose residence is their “ inn.” It will perhaps be useless to hope that in the near future the liquor law of New Zealand will in some appreciable degree become assimilated in nature with that of the Old Country, which provides, under proper regulations, for the sale of alcoholic liquors during prescribed hours on Sunday, especially as there is no substantial evidence to show that the privilege thus conferred on the poor man who does not like to be robbed of his beer has been abused. The framers and supporters of the Act of last session failed to recognise the demonstrative fact that it is to all intents and purposes a class enactment, especially so far as it applies to Sunday trading, although its supporters may say it has only intensified provisions which obtained previous to its passing the Legislature ; but this argument only proves that a huge premium has been given to a law which was class legislation before. Take, for instance, our successful business men, who have

their well-stocked cellars of wines, spirits, and beer, available Sundays and weekdays alike. The new law does not affect those, neither should it do in the remotest degree. Yet while these can have their beer on their Sunday dinner table from their well-stocked cellar, the poor man, who has looked upon his Sunday dinner beer as one of the luxuries of his somewhat monotonous life, must either buy it the day before and drink it “flat, stale, and unprofitable,” or do without it altogether. In England for ages past the operatives, the navvies, the farm labourers, and others have been just as much accustomed to purchase their dinner beer from their respective favourite “ pubs” on Sundays as the New Zealand housewife is to obtain her Sunday’s supply of milk from her milkman, and the one has been considered just as necessary under the great law of custom as the other. Then again, take the class of people who are what is termed well-to-do and can afford to keep or hire a vehicle for a Sunday drive. These can travel a fev miles into the country, put up at a village hotel, order a lunch, and drink as much beer whilst eating it as they deem nature requires or as inclination suggests; whilst the poor labourer, who has been slaving all week, may fret and fume at being compelled by law to abstain from his accustomed beverage, which his reason assures him is necessary to aid him in rebuilding up his wasted tissue. The above remarks have been suggested by the information imparted as to what is adopted by the trade, and though at the present time it may not be possible to secure what we think is desirable in the interest of the trade and for public convenience, we cannot forbear to express the opinion that if the hotels in the city and suburbs were kept open on week days until eleven o’clock p.m. and then positively closed, the customers would go home, which they will not do at ten o’clock, and if the Old Country practice of opening hotels on Sundays as previously indicated was introduced, there would be less cases of excessive drinking and a proportionate falling off in the violations of the law. We shall deal with other phases of the Act in future issues.