EARLY CLOSING OF HOTEL BARS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 6

EARLY CLOSING OF HOTEL BARS

MOVEMENT TAKES DEFINITE : SHAPE MEETING IN WELLINGTON NEW ORGANISATION AT WORK . jy ; . .• . . _ . movement for the early closing or the hotel and club bars throughout i the Wellington Military District dur- ; ing the period of the war .took definite. shape at a meeting which was Jjeldnt i •-•the - Town Hall. yesterday, when, there weio present:—Mrs. Salmond (in' th'o y. chair), Mrs. A. ,H. iMiles, Mis. J.' P. .. Firtli, Mrs.-■■H. Kirkcaldie, • Miss Holmes, Mrs: Walter • ■'. .Nathan,'.- Mrs.' Coleridge,. Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. -0. Earle, ; i Mrs. J. Darling, Mrs. Sefton Moor- ; : nouse,' Mrs. . E.. F. Hadfield, Mrs. I Hall Thompson, , Mrs. Louis Blun- -. dell, Mi's. Jacob Joseph, Mrs. j ■ Ales, v .Crawford,- : Mrs. -Ashenden,'Mis. H,; , Hall," Mrs. Mi Myei's, Mrs. Joseph Joseph, :aijd ;:Mr.l.A. -: D,' Crawford. The proceedings were: of'.a | most enthusiastic and earnest kind, and th'e resolutions which wore brought forward 'were .all carried ..unanimously, The Circumstances and the Need. . In-opening the . meeting, Mrs.:.: Sal*' Biond said that the extraordinary 'and, unprecedented. ; circumstances 'arising |i : out of the ,w : ar, necessitating an-influx , . into our midst'of .thousands of splendid . young soldiers,' among .whom was"!to be. • found tho very flower of New Zealand's '•I:'- manhood, 'had very'naturally directed ; y<' attention to the • question of the early' closing of tlio publichouses. The.questioii had been freely discussed by 'almost .every section of' the' community from time to time ever, since the war began, . for it was very widely felt'"that". oiir, !:■ young soldiers, should be protected irom exploitation. People had asked: "Why ■ don't they close the hotel bars and clubs y at six o'clock?"- It had been asked ;'iin" Australia, and very courageously answered by Senator Pearce, the Act- :: .ing Prime Minister. The mothers of : these young soldiers were asking the ji" same question here, and it.was felt that . an answer was due. . Stringent restrioji: tions had been placed upon the sale .of liquor ■in London; Canada ( had dealt firmly with it, while both Russia |' and France had'taken drastic measures. : Mrs. Salmond went on to say that she had '■ received a number of •-letter* ' cordially supporting the movement, 'lho Countess of Glasgow, who had been . unable to attend,, said in. iier letter: ' 'It ivould.be a splendid tiling, and one ..._- ill which every citizen could do his part I" in personal sacrifice for the good of his ;. country in war,time, strengthening it habits of sobriety and temperance.' 1 . Early Closing Resolution. ;'. .. Miss Holmes referredl to the evils of j-, a' practice which, - she said, i Bhould bo banned as illegal. She.mov-. r cd:— ; .' ."That, this meeting is! unanimously in favour of the closing of ' all hotel and club bars to the sale ' of spirituous liquors from 7 p.m. ; till G a.m. throughout the Welling- ; ' ton Military -District for'the dura-tiou-.of the'-wan"'• . ' It was, she added, a very smallsacrifico to ask for on tlie-part of the pub- ■ - lw. '\; V Th e motion was seconded by Mrs. ; Sefton Moorhouse. - Mrs. Hall ,Thompson said that -there i .'- was nothing 'in :thir m.otio'n;ttf. .prevent ! the sale of-'soft ■.drinks," tea;' coffee, or . soup in public places of"refreshment.' J S It meant simply.'that the sale of alco- ; ..' holio liquor would cease from 7 , p.m. I till 6 a.m. i . 'It was-pointed out thai, the meeting ' was representative of- -the great third ■ party, the people who had hitherto taken no part in any propaganda affecti ing the.liquor laws of the country'.' The ! "movement was a reflection:'of the gravi ity of the times, and believed to be ; the best interests of the community : " at large, aud,. said the speakers, de- : BQi-virig of tho wliole-licarted support of tho citizens. - - | ; The resolution' was adopted. Wet Canteens- ! '' Mrs. C.'.EArlo moved: . "That wet canteens be established at-all military camps- in the ! : Wellington Military District'during , : , ; the period'of tho'present war." . ; -Tho' motion, was seconded by Mrs. >■' .iValter Nathan, who said that-she would I not favour any scheme which in any ■ way penalised, the soldiers. Mrs. Kirkcaldie, supporting, the motion, said that the establishment of wet' canteens would place tho control of the soldiers' liquor in tho hands of the "military authorities, and if a good .-' light quality of beer were supplied, and : that only, no ground for dissatisfaction • should exist. There would bo loss in- !■ clination to drink to excess than if the ; soldiers wero forced to go to town— . and to those who went solely for the purpose of- getting drink the trip to torn meant the consumption of far more than if tho salo were under proper - control at/camp. The motion was carried. Deputation to the Government. On the motion of Mrs. M. Myers, seconded by Mrs. H. Hall, it was re. ' solved to mako arrangements for a largo L and influential deputation to wait upon the National Government with tho object of placing the views of tho.mcet-: . ing'before.:the Ministers. / Mrs. E. F. Hadfield urged the importance of enlisting tho co-operation of all other public societies in tho furthcr- ' ance of the movement, and those pi'csent agreed. > It was resolved that tho. new organisation should ,bc designated the War ' Necessities Committee, tho.'following to ■act as'the executive: —Mrs. , Walter Nathan. .Mrs. Salmond, Mrs. H. Kirk- ; caldie, Mrs; Coleridge, Mrs. C. Earle, . and Mrs.. A. Crawford.

The executive, at the close of tlio proceedings, held a short session, at which it was decided to draft and issue a circular to all members of patriotic and other public societies, setting forth the objects of the. new movement, and inviting their co-operation in tlie deputation which is to wait upon tho National Government.

. Arrangements are also to bo made for » public meeting to "bp held to place the objects of the movement before the public..