ABOUT CLUB LIFE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 915, 7 September 1910, Page 6

ABOUT CLUB LIFE.

A 'COMMISSION OF .INQUIRY;

f:;-:Tm LOCKER SYSTEM. ry : ; ALLEGATIONS OF DRINKING AND p!£s?. ,: "S GAMBLING. :i. ' T;:j. I, .':■';.-.-:".■ ; (By Association.); : ■■■,{ : ':\i[- : ,', Christchurch, September 6.,'■-. >.'.-.'; The.; Commission '.■ of . Inquiry, by: Mr. i" ; Riddell,. 5.M.,. into, allegations .regarding 1;: the-conduct, and management of'tho-Syd-f. : enham .(Working-.: Men's '.Club -.was . pro- !;■ ';'■' ceeded 1 w-ith; to-day.v ili. Flcsher. appeared: ' '■ for -the petitioners; and Mr.: Eussell- for •-: th.€; ; club:;:v '.:;■:.'..'•'■■..'. ,-,.'-,;;;':: ■',';.:-' 'J'. |;.-':.; >; The.Commissioner- said',that■ he, did, not ; :\intend; to^hear,:,evidence,';'furthor..:.back ;' -- ; thaii .two; years 'from ■' September: 1. ~ ;;-..•. -..\-Mr.--Flesher asked' the Commissioner to ; extend; tho period-; The matter had.been; 'J- opened since:last':April,.arid, the limitawould . V reduce'the considerably.- 1 ' ■';' -Mr. 'Eui'selt; said..:lliat\th'o cinb might -~. lave : been.- very badly .--managed,- eight ..'or,, ten'years agoi 'but now! its' management ;,;"-V'»night''.be''.all'.thatvcould:-bo'..desired.:.:-Ho . : - the! limitation-was a fair. one. '■-,', 4*V';Mr. : 'Flesher;:s'aid: tliat ;pr(»-, "."■; pose': to -. g'u; ba'ck; l eight ..'years.-' ';Hq' sug- :: 'Crested,three years as a-reasonable,limita-X.-XObir!•-'?.• .■.■='',-'-:■.'•",'•'. •:.'•!'!";■ /•'■■'■'.''■'";, ■,■'■-"*. V-;., - ,T%e Commissioner:i.adhered V"'- ; ",'v'v '■'■. ■'?.< ;,Alleged-brunkenness.'.!:.; ;''''' V( - ;iifrcd;Averyystated'that h6.:hadbe,en,ii of. : the^club .forVeighteen months.. ;-'-'-:;, He ceased td; be :a'niembffv last March.", ille ['•''■ V'first;^took.action ; 'm,regard to.'the.lucker. s'p-'A system owing to:[scenes of -drunkenness he. -.-. .'.witnessed in the : club.-He decided'to. call. '■-:■ ■ a.'iheeting to "discuss the" system, and;'got'a- [;,'-: .requisition signed by. thirty members. The ft^';'ineeting.was'.'futile, and-'-'he:; inado;: Ins ' :; .-->chMges-'-public.--''He,-.WM;inVthß;.blnH'.twice !: ;I '.-'.bu Sundays; vK.wa's,the universal rulo to, >:-. play cards;'for drinks.' That Hvas.acondi-.; ,C; tion'of I: the game..--. As .far ixs tho, lockers, '.',.'; were: cohcerned;;,niemDers;.u r sed, : '..tq' v .-.gel;; .'."- b6ttlesii'"sn.uare r figgers/'-' and .demijohns' ■f■■■■filled'on; Saturday, nights; and put, in (tho, ;. i ;''lbdkefs^■-f6'^':Su^day^'.^S6me'/.b l f■■'•.tho'..demlr Cl. ? Johns":held•Vns?jn.iicli.;.h's' six'•:gallons, and: ;';,,"were;:st<)red 'away;,ill the" social 'hall-'-.for.. ■■;:, J '. Sunday.' •: He'' saw' more Jdruhkehhesa. iathe ['.■•jclub 'iri'brie-week'.thari.'he.hadVseen in a i;;?' ; ;licehsed ,;-hbuse:"in; :;had;not S v; seen'-lig'uor "isundays; ;;but L thei'o '; : . \w'as'"dfunkehness;bn Sundays..;'!-; ■'■~:'..,: "'■ ;-;;;:In; reply.:'to'-.Mr/'-llussell, -.witness.said the ;'/:'." club "for. he twas, elccted.tp ::?:-' : the)cbmniittee.; ; - : ;He. did."not-:,-•remuihber ;?:;: li ,niaking 'any; '.charges: of the.,'sqr,t,vho had, S;,'-/n'owv,made.":,He;; ; urg'cd.:the ''committee .to ;::.?:abolish; the lockervsystem',and to, : raise tho; ';..,price'.of. beer'.'from 2d/ ; to .3d. .per .glass. >?- '-He,thbuglit;this';would -reduce ;;driukiug,. -■ -.'/a'ndi'be':iii.-the;-in(erests.;'pf.the'club./i.lt ..: ■ wai; true .that Thelhad '-;a '.discussion' 'with, a ■ ' -'him-'a-Vliar.--...He-'was •'askedj-,by';the"com-:i :■":'.. mitteeVto -retract'-the word 1 and he refused. ;| ;;.V:.He was-thon..expelled\from;;the':olub^^:"i;.:

>,'s;^; i -'*;',Hbhbu'riand : /bignity^^ :■•' -! ; EusseilriSincfi 'ypu//.liavV been ■.■■i'«! : ' .'.' spelled, Saye you 'not'-madfr'. •; rit'iyouri.ono.j'.bbje'cjt''-'in.vlife;,to/;'get-,, /it ";! isliut:: /up,? :.'':'; W:'i;; '. ' ; ':J «'CJ j' S ■J, ill was/thrown, fj out f-.disgroooA;' •;;fully,".and' huiniliatedv ./I Bays' had■ to keep .'••; : 'upV;my." : V: foughtyth'eYlocker:system; not.,the/'club...-;. : ';> rSlr^'EiiSsellJsaid;';that'v;*itness/-, had' //"/.been/a -member^of/y:he?committee;A;'fpr riothing,to j/remedy; :-the v /!abuses/.:;liP;)-ii ; ov*;!!; : claimed; V .existed.-/•'.;.;.';•'•' -i^y:: '■■ \- : ->: : /'/ '.'.u ; t:k-s. '.-',;/ '■■;' J.}'.'- :. V 7,,: Mr.-; ■ Flcshcr;//produced.: the;-. requisition :,//issued;:by.Mr. 1 /.'icohvening a jdeetihg/t.O: discuss:the-lbct'eiv /'"'.', 6yXtemi' ; and '■:.&■ -proposal:-.tbicloso/thd'club ,'.ion'i Sundays.;:';.-■Thev meeting; wasiV.calledj', '. .'buty/.the v president'. .-:refused r '/to"-'allow-v':. business'• ■ tb> '■ b'e:-«.-discussed;.; till.-j.lie.-.•. (Mr;:■ ."; 'Avery) /;apologistd:.- to ; / Mr'. : '..Clark. .The', /./.result .was .that: the/business; of the iaieet'. was:. no t '/discussed./-- v' /;/':,: y'f ; K ■. ■;;■> -.-/--John- -Austin',': se'crctui'i j'ol .thK.'./club 'S'-i«n'cp' , ;July;-,-l?07/-. : sajd',.;th^':;bi"A - Mi; ; S0. ■::3ast-: there'-jwerev-,258/-;members, J-, and;;vm ; '/"jOuhevthb:/previous/-; year/; ; 309.-i/ ; . ; ;Jlarch ,! and;/June':,last■ the'ro'.-'.were, five; ./ Ixesignati.ons,/and.'about sixteen had,'b.Deii. ;. ißtruck off .for /'non-payment; qf dues. : ;Ho /. Vwasin/the, club .'evory .dayi/uiid. sbmetini.es ,'/. «n Sundays.-.Hehad', beenVthere, : perhaps-iy-iifty;: times:; on; Sundays .IdTinhg-,-the i'-last; '•;;two,; : -years;:- He .'saw. ; the.-Minister;.as'.'W. frbm':'th'e;- : club last,' May:';-; : -/ ./Mr.. /.-Flesher: ,'Hpw„;;mahy. -members'; . - )f ■',■;'.-the .'club'.havo.lbeeri; suspended -for '■- ikehhessrduring-- the.;.lastVtwo,years? : ;-.,/ t ,/ '-.':; Witness, said that -eighteen'.:or.'..hihetbeu;, ■; :.had : been"; suspended. ■YMembers'j.wei.ii -. cautioned.'.for \ -'.various.'..''offences,'..'.sucli,,'is f.'.'jfor'" hot. going-fhome.' and 'getting ..'their' V.meals.'./' Only one man had been.-expelled .-V-; , fprV.life.>j'Wittess l ;prbducedjy!.his-i,'.lett«iv. ;■-/.bbok.'and'./tea.d;. a /letter,sent to :thfi/:.'cus-.. ' ;:tpdian,';dra.wing /attention- to.;, the amount, .:'-.-.df-::dr^nkehness:,dunrig"-,the : :past-..'.wceli,/iuid-- ■> thb. practice/ of; serving/drink- to .members -../who / /.were'/'intpxicated.;./: .Witness', said. :.:. th'aj:. ,in ninety. ..cases;, out; of'- a, ; hundred" f/a : ;man'.s':bcef: was.sfppped, before: ! :b"o. .was ~; druhki ,He;.had:neyer. heard ah invitation ■ ' given vto .play,. ; cafds;,for.!drinks, - but- it' /;.waa-:the ;usnal;.. -thing./for-.'ithe.;lpsers'i to ;\'.i.'."sn'out.'^\<..'-- ; So^ v-:"shouted.'.',;,.He/knew.,of.;.no:gambling/ in '/■..therclub./'and. heVdid-"not-know of." any,' ... sweeps; .being"-, 'drawn', in the- club.;":/

■•■'•.'.v;:'.y;'; ; .'i ! f v^TheV.'L'bckers.y-i.-'v.;',-':y' ■>:'}■■: ■i •There l '■!\foro':;,eighteenV : ;'ibblters, > y'wliioh'. ■were; bbught.-;/They Averte each: ownedi ,by; be'envtaken, i sixteen-.members. applied .for, ■lockers: ahd^were-given'the',: usb of. ono: tinder thb They .had:' "-used: ;fi>c,-. gallon .;dbmijohns,;:but.;l'atterljy they,-had .;Tikd;:'.twbtjalld4.ii.UeiriijbbiK':-Vfie':'-''c6ii]d/ .'.not: say. .what;quantity, of.'liquor.iwds. 1 c'oh--sumed per." week. '-:Tho;ca'sh : register' was cleared once ay week, andits.total dxpendi--:ttre' t oh':.the:'barl during eighteen months, from;December/:l9oß,'.to.J.un'e 30, 1910, was .£2585.-12sy ,9d'.,",:less,;goo.ds hot-' liquor; .£251.' .Thevreceipts'.:wero. .JJ3805-!:l7s>'i. Id;,' : .•less: : v£376 ■; net y fbry:iiquor;;;.t;AUbwin'g. .: 309 Vrnembcrs', 'fa\s~, was . dCll,:2s. .per member - ! for!.;eighteeh\ months,. orV4}d. f per .day 'per.' Practically all the meinbers'drank> lliqupr.yNpi'mdiieyvwas-yever.'takeny.oh ■ : Sunday, '].Xo '.-;-his.-.knowledge,.V except.' sub-' ;seriptiohs;.'■.-. The: .bar -was not.'.'■ open: on'; •: 7 ; He had been informed by. the custodian,that; tho, avertigu takiii 6 's- '.on,, Saturday, nighte,foi,Sunday consumption were -40s.Y. The-price, of 'beef:'was 2s. per gallon.':.- :4;V'-,v,*i-;';:- ■'•■!<: .".'•:■'.■ -■■■-;. >.:' ~ln...reply.\ to .'-'Sffi'v fcusselli'.witness , said'l that the 'chief \ custodian .had specific; in-. ;6tructions' that as/:soon as 'he! considered.., a man had,sufficient liquorhe should- not' supply him. with .any inore.',' No one had' any,.private interest in (the sales of liquor .;at:;the :club. : ;/rhe',niembers.of;-the .'club as. a:.whole.were ; a: very sober 'lot. -'Not, one during; tho -last 'fen. years- had appear-' ed ; , at,-,th« Police, Court on.a ; charge'of 'drunkenness.' There;w£saiodrnnkennnss to any exteht.in the club. Occasional cases , were . unavoidable. ; If the, club . was' six .'times as bad as the hotels, the hotels must.be prayer, meetings. About sixty--members used, lockers.. There .was .not much in.terest in' the'question.' A, vote had beeri' taken, and-K. members'; supported lockers : and; 47 wore against.them. ; At the meet-;ing-called: by Mr. Arery there, we're'l2s present. It was a common thing on Saturday nights ;for members to come to the .'club between 9., and 10 o'olock a little the-.worse. for- liquor. ,'';,.•. -....',.'..', .i.lri' reply ..to-'-Mr..Fleshier., witness said ; ho did not- think there ' was : a single teetotaller in the club. ' ,-' ..:,;} ■'. A Sergeant's Evidence. . Sergeant 'Reiner;.stationed, at;• Sydenham, said that he had visited the club four' or -five times- within the: last two years after' closing hours. He had found cards being played, but there was" no drink 'about..,- The. bar was not. quite closed,-but there was no. one in'it...; He', had heard-.''complaints' '< about the' 'locker system, and had-reported about it. He considered it a perfect curse,'which, had -'.been" the; cause of much domestic un-', ■'..*■ : . Mr. Russell said-' that he', was not .present to uphold .'tho looker system; The. ifeilv would, welcome any: amendment to Hie. law. to do away with it, and its days were done as far as the club was.conBerned. . ,Witness went on to say that ho had seen - drunken men coming from the club, but it-had not been so noticeable during "-the■ past nine months, •"»

.-> In.'reply to Mr. Eussell-, witness said that he had not been able to' get any definite details from Mr. Avory as to his charges. . He could only get the names ..of one or two,men'who liad been .drunk.'- If the '.' locker system were abolished there would he no -objection to the club." • ■-.' ' ',' : In reply to; Mr. Fleshfr, witness said that ho.had no. right-in the club except on': police business. ; - ! The inspector of Clubs. ■ Inspector ' Gillies said that he was ■ Inspector of Clubs in.','tho. Canterbury police district. He' had visited the , ; Sydenham ..Club, four or J five times . during the ■ past two years,, mostly after closing hours between 10 and ir p.m. On the last occasion there were a fow men: on ■■ the ■ premises and •the bar was closed. All his 'were surprise- visits. He had had the locker syste'm'under review,, for some -years, and had reported on - it. for • four successive years. .Jie thbught.it was.a.mistake. He had • spoken to: presidents • and secretaries, of clubs .in'.his district .where there -were lockers,; pointing, out .that it. was ah eva-sion-of the law. . Eichmohd. Kaiapoi, and Oxford had. no locker ...system.. They closed' on. Saturday .and., did not. open till morning.'.- ;...•■•■■ : In' reply to. Mr.-Russell; Inspector Gillies- said'- that- the locker system was tho only: thing ■in connection with - the. Syd;ho ~had any. complaint about;: >. .... -~ -.',-'■., .-..-. . ,-." '-;■ '..'■•. -' Magnus :.Badger, commission agent,- stat-. Ed 'he lived near" flie' premises .for' about a : . fortnight. •'" In August, 1909, • one evening he saw. some drunken . men'-. outside tho clubhand then, ascertained that,tho building .was "a., club.. ~He ;had on several: occasions' {seen 'men "outside'the club obviously ■. suffering from;.'the' 'affects': -of over-indulgence in-liquor.'' .:, ~",.;;; vln reply,: to Mr. Bussell .witness .said, that-ho,received .no. money from, the.Pro* hibition-league;' Ho did not report what, he' had 'seen to 'the committee o'f .the club as he : considered it useless to report anything, to men ;who .tolerated sucli. a'state of, affairs.-... ■ ',-■;/.;'.-.-,'.

:>V'.-.-, Scops-.'of'lnquiry Extended.-; ■."'?.■ . At this "stage the stated that.'ho :had.: received.'\'alv. telegram'.; from the'.'Minister'-extending-the::scope-.-of 'the; inquiry., to coyer that, : . I ',. (1) Gambling hadlbeen.-ailowed. in the club... .■■'•■ . '■'}., ■-.-; ■, "'••■'■'.'■■:.■,'!■' '•■.••'."':"!'■■ ■'/ (2)Bad language had been" 'used in "."itho club. ■'"-.:; ; .i'. v -:.;-:..v.,'• ~ : : ::'.':/ ]'■ ; . (3); ..The; management.of. the. club generally, /;■ unsatisfactory:'.:•.-' ■' .Ilndei'-.th'e .'cifcumstahcSs.V:the' petitioner3r.wouUV.:be'; at liberty■ • to-.call ovidencu on '/these; points:, ':■;-:'-■ ■■■■■'''••.''-■',":■•)■': .'/". •- : J ;; ! About .'.Gambling'; ;'■;■.'. : .: t .']r>;' ':?': John! Henry--Mayfield'.i stated' 'that '■!■ ho : had been > barman at..the-, club.i or--the past three, years; ! ;/Thb;:.principal game, played. was cards-and: generally ..the, losers aftenyards'.' paid. for. drinks. 1 ;. Ho. Huil-.b'ud. his, 'siispicidns' l that vgamblihg; -n-eht; .oh'' .in';»thb? , . , olub.-\>''ffe'"."--hatt president's ;;astei)tipn - to'- it'.; telling; vliitrVthere.was''someone '.'gambling .upstairs. He; had. known • of .one. or'- two ..sweeps/be-ing-!drayfu:! in'-., the- club...'.This, generally. 1 topk-.placb \- on. .Sunday-,-and i's.weeps' were' generally oh, local 'races.-: It Jliad,,bcen : tho practice: to.draw sw,eeps.;oii. principal' race .meetings, during V;thc...:year; >..,. iGt'iiot'allyi. about .in them.. He/had. /found,! tickets '. oh: Monday' mom-' in'g_■;. which; had been liusc'd"; '/in',- ; drawing ''Swe6pßViV : rvi-> : ;:lww'r-- ~'i/\ s .M-:l\?'';'. ':■'' ■■': .'- ■ i'-'-V. /!'' l -^he.pfici'e^-' i wer6'/i'pr,odßqqtl/.:;-.by- Mr..' Fle'she'rVand'wentiped' by:'..ivjtpess., ..';-;>.; -■/:^Mr./Eusjell'held,! that-this,'-.did - not. connect ,;thb-; committee'.of • the;. club/■-with ;gambling^.V/'.:;vi/;.'.'v;'. / : •■■':■[-'■, "■.':■■;.';!.'' ;!;';';;•' v '.The'-.Commissioner said,that members of' the .-club jw'ero:ralsD/ : V;-'--'/.Mr...KusseUV'said;.that.,.there,-.must:' l>e .knowledge.on.the/part'of,'the, conimittoeV 'Any-;,-'!p«rs'on; : '-might- : liayo.'written , ; the names ;v'".-•''•'■•.'!;!.'■■.' - ;' /Ilei'/Gomhiissionor : '.;-said 'that ■ Mf "Was 'surely..- a,'] question -asrto/the;weight to-be; ; given to:';the :evidehce.yj:, 'V.■'/;'■. v'..! -' '! '■/■'•■

.-'■Withess;-stated. thafr/.'some. .of :i .the - men whpne '/name's- 'were 'oh',- the/ tickets 'had been, ■members'-of :.the/'committee,.,-arid 'iribst'of'them>:we'rßimembers':of'the clubi ; ' yheserJmen;/..-weretrih the/habit of .visit-, in'g - the 'club oh ,Suiidays.' "■>;; In". regard ; . to 'the /! locker!,- v witnesSi'jSaid-i'i l thnt;. J ,' half : a .do^n^bot.tlegfv.'VT^ywen,/-'-as''a .-gallon-jar could'be-iput : in each locker./.-One-party of eleven; had•' a docker, in which,'.; .they kept -leighfc gallon's; u:: Before'.-Mr'./ /Avery's allegation's'vthey./Vused; ;to ;keep ten '< gal-' lons.---Money•had-been'received for beer on ' Sundays 1 ./ pretty well up: ; to 1 ,th'e time of -Mr. ."'Avery's/meeting. :Y.,The-./amount might' be. U-si. or IDs. on each -'Sundayvho was there.'/ /'The.party would /subscribe ithb. amount,./and;jt/' would- be paid ; . to witness by- one/man: " He had seen'.men the worse for liquor in theiclub. There would / be:-quite: forty cases during .'the .last/ two ..years:' /''Bad; language -wa6 quite commbn'/in'tlio .club.i.-.'.v, 1 :'. '.'■■,\-yj ■ : In reply! to' the ; Commissioner,, witness said /that, lie had; seen liquor/sold pi-er the ibar'/'on.: Sundays.■■.,;-,.1t'./....waa.- probably, over : two "years'ago.;;,/;;..; ■:':■;'/■':■:'.:■. ,'-.-'..'■.''!. i .Thomas -Mitchell-.said, that.- Kb, was... a member ;.,bf.' ; 'the i.club;,';;::H«:;had;. played cards /there, /'but..' nothing'.' was staked.The custom'.was that if he'lost-a game lie'."shouted".-if the players • .wanted-.-'a drink.,: -It was.not.the. rule; of the club that losers .'should- '.'shout;''/.,:.:, ../;. / :■• v. The, 'inquiry; was adjourned till 10.30 next day... .'■ ;,..! '■:■.■■-■ ,--. ,/..--.■ : :i : --:,; : ' : '':-\