GLIMPSES OF CLUB LIFE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 916, 8 September 1910, Page 8

GLIMPSES OF CLUB LIFE.

I "SAM WELLER "*SOIREES. ABOUT LOCKERS. OFFICIALS AND OTHERS REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS.' . ■ (By; Te&graph.— Press Association.) , Christohurch, September 7 Tho inquiry regarding the Sydenham ■Workingman's-Club- w'as resuined today, when further evidence, for tho petitioners was given. '.' " ; . : James Gray, a carpenter, said that he'had lived. next door to. the club' for over three years, and was formerly a member, of the club, but'leffc.it three years. ago. .He had . on several occa-. sions made complaints about foul- language; and. the'practice of' ileaviiig horses about in front of his premises while-tho riders , were in , the'club. The/ complainte referred particulady to Saturday .'nights, bub ho had. complained to the constable on. Sunday/about too much -row.-in the right-of-way riext:his house. ," The, row iwas' caused by men .having too much drink. ed-tothe clubhand Mr: Wiltsiiir,e rectified the matter 'to: some extent. He had complained to. the it was no;good going to the club'..' ,'They were not' the best of /friends. -There;, had beon a great .iinproynment -'in the maiiagoment 'during .tho; past sis months.; Prior to Mr. Avery's allegations, the bar, was always lighted; up .on Sunday nights. • He had" seen , ' drunkcii men ■-abbut the club, premises, but .not often.' He had seen them drunk on Sunday. A Former .Custodian's Evidence., ■Alfred'.Marsh said that he .was formerly .custodian of the'club. ."He'acted m that capacity for: eighteen/■ months,and left about fifteen riionthe ago. The practice in regard to card-playing v> as that, tat,- losers ' piiid lor drinkvi. If thoy did. not havfe' a drink losers handed over tickets .which would -entitle! the holder to .'drink 'when Hβ did not know of any gambling .on the 'premises,'- but he. had - .- seen ; sweepfti drawn. ./got. swe'eps . 'up among, themselves., .'■ Sweep's'-,had been .drawn ori; Sundays'.' " He 'had" seen"riicn. under, the/;influenco. of liquor-..!in ; ihe club;'.; There had probably; been twenty, bases;,during the/last nine months , :,--'he' was there; ,' Ho had/stopped' liquor, from nien who; had : taken/. too / much; ■ Most of the drinking/topk/place -towards ; the'.;latter end-of-the' week.';.'.(Saturday 'niglrli:wasjthc busiest nightr'and'there was' always someone under the ■ iiifluerice of:. liquor ...then., '■ ;.:He ; had ■ known/'of locker I ,' being /replenished .-'.- on Sundays. , He'had .received money on; Sundays'.'for'ljquor supplied} for- lockers ~oh" Saturday 'evenings: The money was handed tp the/cliiel custodian on Moriday; .'and-put through the ■cash, register. 110 liad'never: sold liquor/byer. the'baton . Suhdajf. o ■ He had' sold.-' small /quantities of -.spirits-;_almost every): Sunda y: ho; was ; on :duty! : ; Spirits'jwere.kept in: the"club''s Nb. : 1 locker.;', ,'Au av<n<ago, of" about: forty ! br.'.fifty/members visited ■ the!;: club on - - Sunday, , ;' aid!' the avera'gd "during- the. 1 week. wpuld."be ; : sixty He" ;; had v heard."bad /language':used':iri■ the.'club' •fairly''often;.■••■/■ ;- ; --V-: •'• .- /V- ,: ; ; ; : .":'.■.' ■•■;■': ''■;, ■■'.•;•; s '!: ; ■'/' In-'reply'Hb .witness/said . the members who tsed.the/clubvori.Sun!(lays!were: those-who /used v it/most-on week days;';/'; His .estimated/of ; !:the 'averidge "attendahco only. ihciude'd ■.those 1 who used the bar' and the .billiard rppm. Members brought, friends !intb the bar.' ■There; might*' ;bo '300'0r. : 400.// visitors :or 'members, , -;bf.-'!'other/ 1 'yclubs : v/iii; the .club: during 'a week'. ■ No : Visitpr nor meraber/of/.another club had theiright• pa.y;.for/ ; liquor; /'-HiSj.ordery had-been' ■to.;'stop"'a .man's.liquor when ordered to do-, so', by {a 'member''pf'the icommittee; ■ It was the: usual l !practico::.tb /pay: !: for lockerVliquor : pn ;Saturda.y/ night..; •'The■ object'of•■ the" club in' having a locker for spirits was to'enable'riiembers: who. ha'd ; ,'not laid in supplies to' get some'if .they' saw the custodian. ./. ,/■.;•''■/?!/..'; ';■' .In:,reply ,to Mr.vFlesher!.witness said he i had carried: liquor; for! lockers. put; of the bar'-ori'Samday.moi^riings,befpre:thp hall "was opened. : 'The . average.-', amount'' h'o:dollecte<r.on .Sundays was/about 30s:, mostly, sales;,from ■the.,club's'Jocker.. , : . .In: .reply '.toihe/comrnissipner witness said that as far' as 'dririldng on Sunday' was .concerned; he/could' not/ say/that , : any; ; 'pf'tho..men/were under,/the!influr, eiice 6f.!liquor::, Sotne; of them showed sigiis.of liquor,, but .were not incapable.' , /V;i' ;;, ;;;A/Ust Asked;For.^ v V/! ;: ;/ '' ...;/ Sir.-';Flesher;asked -for Vthe: ; list/- required from, Mr; Austin as: to the '■■ rium-' ber -!bf,; cases:; of; : meri being, isuspended for-;drunkerine-Ss - and; other;; -'oneaices./ Mr. iFlesher'/pointed out that/ ho ; had ~not; befen supplied with the-names of men involved. Ho.could not therefore check the/information he had ! -.with-that. : supplied by.'Mr. 'Austin. • : ''.- ' !!':./ ... . Mh.Russell .submitted that..-"it".was unnecessary .to/put/the names, -in , ;-' ,':,.,: ; ; The ■ commissioner raled Etasher was,:entitled- to details'-of the suspcusions. ,:■';■ '-./; ■'/-;■;• ; /". • '■' ■■' ; ; ': . - ; -.' : ~Mri 'Flesher then, recalled:'the-' witness! -Mayfield,; , . who' said that he had seen' officers of ;the; club drunk.' He de-i. j ;fined ' drunk", ai 'meaning that they ha<l I more: than -they.--'really ought to; hay? had. ■'. Ho- gave .tho names, of . various officer/s and memliers of the' coriimittco whom-he: had seeii- with.more. liquor than, they'should•;have hid. Ho.'also referred to several- suspensions'-for' bad ;language"and '■ other ( offences, ;but he, could give; no dates or-say. whether they were within the! two. years' limit/or-not. . This concluded the..evidence. for tho petitioners.' , . ' .'■-. ■'■ i -i Statement by the Club's President. Mr. Russell,called John' Hooker (president of'the club). . He succeeded Mr. Wiltshirp in that office,' and was : appointed.™ July, 1909:/. The/steps'.taken in .the club. te prevent .drunkenness, .were, he said, tp stop the liquor of any person on: whom the least" sign of liquor was observed. '■. The" custodiaii had standing orders!to stop liquor in.those cases.. Thp:average attendance of.members at the club was ,:from 100 to;' 120. There was '.•very, little : trouble",.'in. contrplling,the men. He had,been.a member of the! club for eighteen years. If v. member got drunkjtb.o president, vicepresident; or two members of the committee had: power to suspend him.'and bring. tho case , before the. committee. The offr.nder. would be summoned before the 'committee. "/The. use of .bad".language ■ was not allowed: l One- riiemW, who" used: bad language as a habit wiis. written "to r,n the subject.". Tho club was conducted in a. proper and orderly manner. It could riot, oo run on !■ bpttor lines than..'those on which : it had. been conducted for. tho past two j'tais. Witness had never seonsa member under, the infixience of liquor in' the, club.' As far as ho knew there ' wus no ' liquii, : .sold in the. club, on Sunday. Ho did not , know of-the existence 'of-a spirits locker; It would-not be' allowed by tho committee/if they .lenew of it. 'Hie bar was absolutely closed:on Sunday. Hβ did '.not/attend the club very!, much on Sunday. ■~-.. ,J'_. ■.: .-•■: '-.- .'' '■:.'<■ : '.; i., : ;'. ; : - ."In .reply.to witness, said that he. had • been in the club, on Him days five or six times during the last two -years.'.. He had 'a..part. shuro in. a, locker: Ho bought liquor, on the Sat- : uxdaj; nialits previoUß/ aad put it in

tho locker himself. " There might be seventy members who went to the club regularly every day excepting Sundays. The. club , , property was undor a mortgage to the Crown Brewery and some of tlio liquor consumed was-purchased at that'. Brewery. -He , thought' that from six to ten members had been sus-. pended during his 'presidency. He had personally suspended, two members. The Club'e Charter. Mr. Flesher. asked for the.' club's charter and when, it was produced pointed out that it confined'supplies of liquor '.to-members.'.of the .club,, witness said that they : looked upon members ofother' clubs, as affiliated meinbers;' and visitors introduced-.by: friends were rer garded as members'.. , :-. Visitors' could ,not purchase any liquor, but affiliated; members could. Witness had .attended several ' 'Sam. Weller" soirees.. '• At one of them the supply of liquor ran out. Mr.. Flesher: .Have you .beon' trying to reform the club ..within the last) sis. 'months?-'■,'■'.': !'.".'■'. \'\ ■■'■■'■'■''';■''• ■Witness, replied that, the club had been endeavouring.to reform itself for the past five; or' six years. Personally ho thought it desirable to 'close ; the club, on .Sundays. He did not know whether' the -club- members .could 'each' 'afford to spend. 10s. per.week in liquor.: Tho Chief Custodian's Evidence. ' : ■ Samuel'Shokinan, chief custodian of j the club'iof the past three and a .half years, said -that the;, average - attendance of members per day. was from 100, to 120. ,"■; The attendance;. of'^visitors'' ; .was about , sixty or seventy, per. week.: custodians had orders riot to sell drink to any man: at all under'-the 'influonce of-.drink. . He had..never had ',;any, serious trouble in. this, respect, though' there h'ad been \ pases'.where men-got talkative.': ..Drunkenness was .'not- per-; ■mitted./and.bad language was not;very often heard.-. No :liqiior was soldori Sundays/, / The -bar had not:|beeh • lit' up 'on Sunday" night for ..the . last eighteen, months. ■ With' one-'.-exception, he had-never/seen gambling.!onj.the;-pre-, miseslv ...There' had been ■ one.or two shilling /sweeps,.-- No. 1 locker had;not been opened ■ for. the -last : six or * sevenmouths. ,' ~'About .■ two. years ."ago small quantities' of liquor: were ■ .put -in the. looker-.for-sale to'members ;on; Sundays, , but that , was stopped. by/Mr. /Wiltshire.The. collection of money , on; Sundays 're-, ferfed. to! ; by . Mr..:; Marsh ; :,' took "place about, two;years' ago,-and .wßs-'not'.-a regular '.thing. ■; ;lthad ..been, .discontinued, about six months ago. "■■ /■:■' ':■'•-. '..' ..:In: reply- to -Mi-.: Flesher,. witness said that,' hc:;was.'.on duty, one Sunday? out of three;/ ■'■. ;Money..taken' on ■-'.Sundays' had,/been;.: handed to - him .*on ;' Mondaymornings, ; the/ sums, being, for the , sale of tobacco or ■ money 'owing/ for'. liquor, by - : 'the.:.:. (.'.big table,'' ; which' hadi eight ; gallons -for, their locker. ; ; r He could not say that,.i-he had not."supplied /liquor; after ;hburs.during;;thef : last .two : .years, but/he , /could. riot;Vremember ; any >4in-. stance.- /.He supplied nve.'gallons:extra to a' "Sam -Weiler" ..soiree .when .the supply'fah ;out.-. .' He .-hadr-supplied. -liquor '.! from 'the; bar /for" members. on [ two. ,or; three/occasions": ! .onOSnndays.-. -These were'■•■ oases pf, /sickness,;' and :lie - sold. iea;ch a;'shilling's;' worth;} of -spirits; r./Ho, 'rcceived/i'letteryonVJune , ' -0 .'complain-, iiig ■-' about, intoxicated * raen v : being s sup'-:' plied.with:■ liquori'-.-i;Ho 'objected;to.■ the. letter; , 'and. the committee. ; apologised -to':him'-ftir it!v,. iHe considered;.the. jetv . ter) a ; reflection' on?him; ■ ■ ■ He ■ - believed/ that- lie 'stopped J the.''Supply "of: been, in 'on/one -■■ occasion', stopped-, the; supply: of one .comniitteeinari. ;'. ~-■ The: average' ■.ton--sUinpti6u;,iwas;:22. of 52.'gallons eacliV.per month; i: ;i of-the''lockers.we'rel'us'ecl.: .Others were empty^;---; : : Tho.-;locker^'undef i ,'the; ; .stage; wasLallowed;: because/.largeri' 1 jars would, not -go:-'jn 1 ; the smaller,! lockers. -. ; It -was customary:'-for -.'losers.;.at;.cards -to; jiay; for'drinks'.:: , : He kne^',bf/a roora.which. _had;,;been. fused : £ fori.! four members!;!::■Vlt'Was 1 , 'loclcell l , : Sip*; l committee,■•whb:.surmised ; 'tliat gambling went'■'on'.'tner.e'.'-.-/'::.'-': , .;-'!''- 1 ! ■;■''.■' .'; -In reply :■ to: Mr': Russell; witness: said '.that-the:extra.;liquor to. the-'Spiree Was" 'supplied- ten o'clock.'•;■■ :'., >•. ;■; ■ .-;.■";.•. :;/.:/; :: r^' : A\^ndid,ppihjbn^ , . i //'^v':^,/ .'-.; : Thoinas^Wiltsliire/said;'iliat*'he. had :heeri { president :ofith'e^lub l -;during yernr pending July, : 1909.."i/Tlie. club w'as' that' /year 'conducted'/in. y ;. : prp-' per /and/ '•orderly" .'■manner/ '?i'. Driiriken? ness ■was.;put -down with ;a s -strong f hand,' . anditho're-wap-'norsale'pf h'qupr,on : Siin-: clays." : ./ ; liv/his..cahHia/ I bpiniqiv.ffi ■ was arlittle moreioose/thaii-it had'/b'een in : his- time.:"' : '-'Thore-was 'no 'head to' it.-.•>:.:;v ;^v- : -.-' : vi:- : > :^v^'( ,' ;: ?-- : "v ; Vi : ' :: vMr';'-.'Russell.|;--Hayo'--;/yibu-''-'Be<m''Vony-drunkenness?.'\V::''- v :^:',•.[■'.'}■■ '•• ;,- :, //- n^ : ■■'•Witnessi saidAMt;:hy;h'ad seen v men bordering ;pn>it.;.,; ;jHe': "denied ; ; -thatv he ■had. ever ./purchased /'a of whisky ;6n; Sunday;■:/:'; Mr;:MaySeld: •was .either ,, , making a mistake- 'or' was" tolling,a 'deliberate 1 falsehood -when/ lie ! said that witness/made ;such a p'urcliasoZ .; In /reply/;to, Mr; /Flesher, -witness said that/sweeps were'."'.frequently., drawn;"in the club , . .' .Drinking \'jnyariably) -.'took. place-., after.-a :gamq,;of :;canh,' but;-thero understunding.as: to' who should' pay /for drinks. -Nearly, all tlie ■'lockers were in use.- ■ Withess'.'gaye" for-the;':storing' off'spirits:/,'iii:| -No;/: 1.locker.. to ! -bo ;-;stopped..'/ Tickets/ ;,6ard-j)laying;:' entitling;.-/the , ;; holders-/ to |.a. drink,- wore .''iwopeniij .'yebentures," .but he had,pot. seen any-lately. ; ' Qiilotj Orderly,'-a|ia Soblable. 3/ '•-.- r ;George/'Williamjjonesz-said/vtirat he: had been/ a; of,.th"P. -club:: for- ■ twenty-seven'.years;,ari'd;he was, l one of' 1 the /trustees., ;:jlei lionsidered ..that-./the : clitb-wal-well'cenducted.;.Drunkenness, was considered ,/k' .disgraceful . off onceHe ,had: seen: it-.ii; the. club,-; but 1 lioti frequently;/ , ,vQuiet; 1 .-.orderly",.,"and/ sdcir able, .''.w-a's his description, of/thd club?s atmosphere: , : He and nialiy others would , ! be: glad to- see the; locker' system:. done away with. ■ : : : -\-' :/: '-):," '.'■' ■■■•• : :: X ■)'-\. ■ In reply to Mr: Flesher; witness/said that; as 'the- bar : was 'closed ; on''Sunday he regarded. tlio'- lockers as, an evasion., It .would-be, in'the. best intei^sts'of members themselves if; tho locknrs were abolished. ■'■•:'■..'"■ ':-.■'-.I '■ /^ : 4; : . ■-:; .'Other Evitfenoo v ' ■::/;:/, Hilary Clark said ■.that.:ha.-had : jived near the club, for eleven:or'twelve years;and owned houses-near',it. .Ho!had not seen; ors .heard anything, about, tlie/(.lub as to which'complaint could ,be made: : -. William . Barr,- • .■ living-- in SUunuore Road,_ said. that'.".ho was a uieinber.'of tho Richmond, Club".: He had been' iii the Sydenham Club at.nearly all times: of the day. ;■He' had never seen any indication of J ''drunkenness; or, .anything that should '.riot be. in ~a' wellKirdered club. He opposed .to'tho 'locker system./. I.;''.,':-..:.;:'".;..-.'■ ...:'.■-,,■; ;■;'./.,. In reply to Mr. Flesher, .witness; said that the .Richmond Club closed at-10 p.m., ;and: did not 1 open on-Sunday.' .The. only lockers ■'served ■wa's'XSunday, drinking, .which -he , was'-.'opposed' to.-;,'';...-:...'..-/—'",.- , -''O:-..-"■■;;:■.:■ ;; .. , -■>■■■'?\ ■ John , Gulliford, a momber of tho Syd-.i enh'am Club; for eight 'years,, said, that he wasin'.'the club foiir;or: fivoi ovenings in,the.-.week; There was no drunk-" enness ,in ■ the ,club. ; , The only cases ho. had. seen, were men' coming ,in..from town in . an.' intemperato: state." ; Any. member could stop 'the. supply, of'-an-, other member who was under, the influence of - l'quon -In every, particular the club was 'conducted in an' orderly and proper manner./ .'Mr.\ " HayfieJd, never sold.witness .any; liquor on;. Sunday. ■';.,,. .Witness ■ olico- got a, shilling's' worth pf brandy, from the.third steward Mathers, . to; riieet,;■ a : case. of .yidderi' illness on/Suiiday.:;.. .;.-.,,... ; : ■ In reply:to Mr. fFlesher, witness sa'v-that/-on another; occ.\sion ho gavp ,orders, for,a supply/of./spirits'-to another, man. on ■ Sunday, also/- in case >of sicknoss. . He estimated that his.'experiditurd at. the club •'■was ■ on/'the: "Verago'lOs; per week. .■'' • ;, /'• ■ 'V;-- 1 ',".., ; . -.■' ■■'-.' : : •'The commission:, then tilj '.to-morrow.'-j-.''-::''. , .":';.--'-' /'■/ -X ,; ' : -; v--/:. •-;_