EARLY CLOSING OF HOTEL BARS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2706, 28 February 1916, Page 5

EARLY CLOSING OF HOTEL BARS

TWO DEPUTATIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH I —_ DEFENCE MINISTER'S VIEWS By Telegraph—Press Association. Christohurch, February 26. A deputation from the Licensed Victuallers waited on the Hon. James Allen, Defence Minister, to-day, and protested against the action of a certain portion of the community in making use of the war in order to advance the claims of prohibition and penalise the botelkeepers. The replying, said a deputation from the other side would wait on him and ask for 6 o'clock closing. It was a very difficult problem, one impossible for an individual Minister to deal.■with. It was a subject for the Government. Certain regulations, such as no liquor on troop trains,-had already been imposed. The question for the Government was whether further war regulations would be imposed in this direction. In the meantime he asked the licensed victuallers to help the Defence authorities by protecting both recruits nnd soldiers from their own weaknesses. If the strong feeling that had grown up in the community continued to grow, and a liconsing poll was held, he did not know what would happen. Ho asked the licensed victuallers to act in their own interests as well as the interests of young men who joined the Forces. The Other Side. Subsequently a deputation from tha W.C.T.IL, and a deputation consisting of the Dr. Chilton, waitea on Mr. Allen, and urged the early closing of hotels, to prevent drinking among the ■ soldiers; failing that, they asked for the early closing of hotels in areas surrounding the training camps, and also asked that all the hotels close to convalescent camps be declared out of bounds.

Mr. Allen replied that he would resist the wet canteen. He would place the requests before Cabinet, but Cabinet did'not consider.it necessary to -take any action at present. His opinion was that drinking amongst soldiers was now less than previously. The main difficulty was with the returned soldiers, who were in the convalescent stage. F/arly closing did not meet the* case of these men, who had the whole day free. He considered that this situation was very grave. DEBATED BY LABOUR NEW PRESS LAW PROMISED By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyriglit Sydney, February 26. During the Political Labour League's debate on Mr. Meagher's censure motion (arising out of the military .action in regard to the early - closing of hotels), Mr. liolman (the State Premier' denounced the publication of information. He said ho intended to introduce a new press law aimed against the publication of such news before it became public property. Mr. Meagher eventually modified his motion in the direction of that a misapprehension had arisen between a the and the Federal authorities. A big' jneeting of hotelkeepers affirmed the desirability of establishing wet canteens in camps. It also dccided to place on its black list various business firms who signed the requisition favouring 6 o'clock closing. THE FREIGHT PROBLEM '— ; —o STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, February 27. No information lias been received by the Prime Minister (Mr. Massoy) that suggests in any way a suspension of the shipping services from Great Britain to Now Zealand from April to September. "I have seen newspaper- references to the rumour," Mr. Massey said, "but I do not think thero is any foundation for it. Certainly no communications to that offect have reached me, and I am in almost daily correspsndSnce with the Board of Trade through the High Commissioner, and with the Secretary of State for the Colonics through His Excellency the Governor.

"It is, however, correct to say that even insulated shipping is scarce," Mr. Jlassey continued, "'and scarcer than 1 expected it to be. The reason is obvious. When the Imperial Government requires ships very urgently for pur-, poses connected with the war, occasionally even insulated ships have to be requisitioned. That has happoited with some ships which we expsctcd to arrive here in the near future. A promise has been made to me that no New Zealand trader will lie requisitioned where it iv possible to ,avoid taking it." Mr. Massey remarked that the operations of the Dominions contributed to the shortage of shipping. "Both Canada and Australia liavo a. large number of ships employed for war purposes," he said, "and even New Zealand lias a fleet of vessels regularly employed in carrying soldiers, horses, and supplies to*the front. We havo sent 10,000 horses from New Zealand to the front,' and it is well known that horses requiro a great deal of space, on the ships used for carrying them." Referring to the question of shipping facilities for the export'of frozen meat, Mr. Massey said that questions had been asked regarding the principle on which the Overseas Shipowners' Com- i mittee had allocated the available space ] among various ports. He explained that towards the end of each month the committee ascertained, through the Imperial Supply 'Branch, the quantity of meat in Ctie stores throughout the Dominion. Having obtained definite information on that point, the committee is able to say what pronortion of meat can be lifted by tho following month's steamers, and to proceed with the allotment of the spaco.