The Licensed Victuallers

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 528, 6 September 1900, Page 18

The Licensed Victuallers

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ELEVEN O’CLOCK LICENSES,

There is so much argumeat in favour of keeping hotels open until eleven o’clock at night, that it is

anticipated that this question will meet with much opposition when it comes before the House. If the hour of closing is made eleven, o’clock throughout the colony, it will do away with many existing anomolies, such as, for instance, we have at our own doors, where we find small suburbs with eleven o’clock licenses, while the city houses have to close at ten. The Licensed Victuallers of our city were practically put on trial when they were granted the extension of one hour for twelve months. How creditably they came out of the trial is well-known, and requires no laudation from my pen. The police and general public freely admit that the extended hour is the better one from every point of view. Auckland has a large sea facing and travelling population, and the requirements of this portion of our community make it very apparent that ten o’clock closing is too early, and most inconvenient to those that are in town at night, either on business or pleasure. , From the police wo have evidence openly stated in our local courts and by southern inspectors, that in all interests the eleven o’clock closing is the best. Our local police go still further, and openly assert that the recent curtailment of one hour has had the effect of causing a large number of cases of drunkenness at night. However, this evidence canndt controvert the fact that at the last election of the Licensing Bench, a number of gentlemen were elected who, at the time of their nomination, declared themselves in favour of ten o’clock closing;

this declaration being the sum total of their qualifications, no other is required, or indeed, even asked for or preferred. Owing to an unfortunate splitting of votes, and a most regrettable want of interest in the election by our moderate friends, the ten o’clock ticket was the one elected. This being the creed as laid down to them before their election, there

was no other course open to them but to condemn the people of Auckland to the - antiquated ten o’clock license once more. Suburban benches were left more or less to be guided by the result of the city election, and, with one exception, followed

the lead given them. After the fair trial given, and the very satisfactory results proved, no reasonable argument was brought forward why the ten o’clock license should be reverted to. It was left to our opponents, who were yet smarting under the wholesale-defeat at. the general

election to marshal all their forces to harrass the Trade once more. The two reasons given above were the causes of the election of the ten o’clock party. And all the hysterical cries about its being the will of the people, is not borne out by the number of votes recorded. As a matter of fact, it is not the will of the people. It is only the will of a small section. Little doubt is felt as to the ultimate result if the question be brought up for debate in the House. Such abundant evidence in favour of the hour’s extension can be brought forward, and really nothing against it, that we may feel assured that eleven o’clock licenses are a foregone conclusion.