TIME, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE!

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 407, 12 May 1898, Page 16

TIME, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE!

The question whether it would be advisable for the Auckland Licensing Committee to alter the hour of closing hotels and public-houses from ten o’clock to eleven o clock is one that does not require much consideration from a Trade.point of view. The members of the Trade would hail with satisfaction such an alteration, not on account of the amount of business which would accrue, but because they individually and collectively recognise that ten o’clock is too early for the requirements of the public. We suppose there is not one hotelkeeper in the Auckland district who is not asked every night in the week to serve liquor after ten o’clock, and we dare say that very few publicans refuse to supply the thirsty souls, for each knows that, though he may be perfectly willing to close at '■ the correct hour, his fellow tradesmen ; are taking the risk of a raid. Ten o’clock is altogether too early for the vast ma-jority-of citizens, and the consequence is that we have this after-hours business If the hour of closing could be extended to eleven o’clock we believe this surreptitious trading would be put a stop to, for at the present time there is very little business after eleven o’clock even in the known “late” houses. At eleven o’clock most menj are ready for home, and the publican would be ready to rigorously shut down at that hour. Eleven o’clock would give the people coming from places of amusement a chance to quench their thirst'without any fear of being charged with being on licensed premises after closing time. Eleven o’clock would also suit railway and other travellers ; in fact, it would edit the community all round far better than the ridiculously early hour of ten o’clock. If we turn to the cities and big towns of Australia we find eleven and half-past eleven to be the closing times. If we look at Wellington we see that the hotels are shut to non-residents at eleven o’clock. In the Old Country there is not much chance of the police making a successful raid after hours, because in London the houses shut at half-past twelve on every night except Saturday, when they are closed half an hour earlier. In all the big cities and towns the time is eleven or later, and in the rural districts - it is eleven o’clock or earlier, at the option of the licensee. Why Auckland, the city .with the largest population in the North Island, should be restricted f to ten o’clock we fail to see. The hour is too early for the convenience of the inhabitants, who, if they want anything stronger than tea after ten, must creep round to a back door, enter stealthily, -and in fear and trembling drink the modest half-pint or nip of whisky—that is, if they can get in. This sort of thing is degrading in the extreme, both to the public and the publican, and it partakes somewhat of an interference with the liberty of the subject to say, “ Thou shalt not drink after ten o’clock, unless you take it home in a bottle.” - How is the change from ten o’clock to eleven to be compassed ? If we had a real live Licensed Victuallers’ Association in Auckland the question would be an easy one to answer. We believe there is an invertebrate body, with a nominal head and tail, which claims the title, but we want an association whose motto shall be “ Deeds, not Words.’’ Let the brewers and the publicans unite in demanding this necessary reform from the incensing Committee; let the public lend willing aid to the efforts of the former,

and this extension of time will become an accomplished fact. Supineness and shilly-shally will obtain nothing, but a vigorous and united policy will prevail upon the Licensing Magistrates, who will see that the extension is in the best interests of the citizens. Ten o’clock is an unreasonable hour ; eleven is a right and proper one. It will suit the public and it will suit the publican, and as the present is the occasion for a forward move, we say to the public and to the Trade, “ Time, gentlemen, please ! ”