EARLY CLOSING OF HOTELS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2793, 10 June 1916, Page 5

EARLY CLOSING OF HOTELS

' REFERENDUM VOTE TO-DAY ■ By Telegraph—Press. Association—Copyright ; '. f "'' Sydney,'June'9.'' There is- » great' Tallying of 'tJife'; opposing . forces in ..tlc\ 6' .o'clock.'closing' campaign, and intense public interest in Saturday's referendum. The liquor supporters are relying mainly on expensive advertising and a poster campaign. The "dry" party is supplementing these, by means ol public and open-air meetings. ' Many organisers from the various States and New Zealand are participating. Both sides'are splendidly organised. The Press has freely opened its columns to contributors of both..colours. Some of the correspondence -has been decidedly ■- strong, ; ' There is every promise of a hot fight and an exciting finish. [The poll is to be taken to-day."] ' VOTE-WILL BE EFFECTIVE, FIVE WEEKS AFTER THE POLL. Sydney, June, 9. : The new- closing hour to be decided by the referendum will operate not later than five weeks after the poll has been taken. , ••' ■ .' ; PROSPECTS CLOSING HOUR IN DOUBT (Eec. June 9, 9.5 p.m.) ' Sydney, June 9. The final rallies on the liquor, referendum are strongly indicative that both sides regard the issue as'of vital- interest. The cleavage of parties is widely deferent to what it has been in previous NoLicense campaigns. The fact that the referendum is being .regarded in many quarters as a temporary war-efficiency measure,' and receiving support from influential sources outside of the Temperance bodies, for that reason is expected to swing a big vote. Then, too, the women have taken a much more prominent- part in the campaign than heretofore/and it is certain the poll will be ; unusually heavy. " "Six o'clockers" have convinced themselves of these factors, and have combined to direct the Temperance vote sufficient to secure a victory. The liquor paTty are equally conEdent that supporters of moderate limits to drinking hours will be found in the majority. They are relying upon the large silent vote and those who believe that the curtailment will spell an increase in home-drinking and sly grogging; also a big section of shop and office employees who ore accustomed to a refresher on leaving -work at six o'clock, who would be rob.be 3of the opportunity of getting a nightly glass. So far as can be gauged, the independ. on t party's leaning, and the preponderance of public and Press opinion appears to expect that if six o'clock fails the veraict will be,somewhere inside nine o'clock. TEETOTAL RACE MEETING DECLARED A HUGE SUCCESS Sydney, June 9. The Gigandra Jockey Club, disappointed at the amount offered for the publican's booth at its meeting, docided to hold the annual meeting on teetotal lines. No intoxicants were allowed to' be sold on the course. This is quite a new departure in Australian racing history. A local report claims that the meeting was a huge success. Thero were large fields,, plenty of money, a big attendance, and a noticeable increase in the ladies present. The report adds:—"At night in town tho compulsory teetotallers made up leeway, and the police had busy times."