LIQUOR ON RACECOURSES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1229, 11 September 1911, Page 4

LIQUOR ON RACECOURSES.

INTERESTING ARGUMENT. ' (By TolcEratih.—Press Association.) Christchurch, September 9. Tho Avon Licensing Comuiittco to-day refused to grant a conditional license for the New Brighton Trotting Club's two days' meeting this month. The president of tho club, in placing the position before the committee, stated that the question' of whether an application for a conditional license was granted or not did not affect the amount of liquor consumed. At present a drag ran to and from tlio hotel and tho course between every race, and some of the men landed back at tho course half inloxicatA.l. Largo quantities of liquor were brought on to the grounds, and ho knew of one in- , stance in which a party of young men had taken liquor into the stand in the presence of ladies, and had got "beastly drunk." When he (tho speaker) had remonstrated with them tliey had used insulting language to him. He had them removed from the stand, and they took their liquor to another part of the ground. Such instances were frequent, and were due to tho club.not having a booth which it coukl properly control. The chairman: It is not a matter of con. trol bv tho club. Tho committee has tho control. In reply to questions, a const ablo said he had not seen the incident referred to. lie had seen kegs of beer about (ho raco-cour.-:o anil people drinking. There were five policemen at tlio last meeting. Thoro was a good deal of drunkenness, but there was, of course, n certain amount of liberty on race days. Tho president explained that when a bottle was opened it was generally finishoil straight oil'. There had Ixon more liquor drunk on the grounds sinco iho club had been refused a license. The chairman: You will bo in the Kaiapoi electorate at next meeting, and you will not bo subject to this committee then.