THE TANGLE OVER DECEMBER 26.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 998, 13 December 1910, Page 4

THE TANGLE OVER DECEMBER 26.

DR. FINDLAY ON THE POSITION. IBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) Palmerston N., December 12. A deputation from the Licensed Victuallers' Association and the' Manawatu Racing Club waited on Dr. Pindlay at tho railway station to-day to ask as to whether they would bo prevented from selling liquor at booths on the. racecourse on Monday, December 2G, on which the Christmas holiday is to 'be kept; whether, it' they could not sell liquor because of it being declared Christmas Day, they conld race that day; also whether, if tho law was such, tbey could abrogate it for that day in view of the club having sold the rights of the booths before the passing of the Act and having secured conditional licenses from the magistrate for Monday and Tuesday. The Minister said that while Christmas Day was treated as a Sunday in the Licensing Act and they could not sell liquor 6u Sunday, and therefore not on the day declared to 'be Christmas Day; there was no law to prevent racing on that day, and therefore they could hold the proposed races. As to postponing the operation of tho law, the law was there, and he was there to see that the laws were put /in force, and had no power to suspend them. He was certainly going to put this law into force. Regarding a message to the effect that Bib Auckland Racing Club had been, refused a totalisator permit for Christmas Dll 3', tlitf'Manaw.atu, Racing Club applied, some time before the passing of the Act, for its permit, and received'it, and so will be able to race, on the Monday and Tuesday.