EARLY CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2809, 29 June 1916, Page 6

EARLY CLOSING

Sir,—Correspondents aj'o not telling all tho truth about South Australia. Let mo supplement their letters by a complete abatement of the positiou of early closing in that State. In order to set oin tho case fully allow me to repeat your own cablegram thus;—' SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING. . EFFECT IN ADELAIDE. ■ (l!ec. Juno 2, 9.30 a.m.) Adelaide, June 2. "The police statistics show an increase of twenty-six convictions for drunkenness during the two months of the operation of 6. o'clock closing of hotels." According to the report of Sub-Inspec-tor Edwards of Adelaide, the record of drunkenness (as reported in your cablegram) is confirmed by the following comparative statement:— Cases of drunkenness under H o'clock closing (period, Jan. 27 to March 27), 186. Cases of drunkenness under .6 O'clock closing (March 28 to May 27), 223. (An increase under 6 o'clock closing of 37.) , . ■ Yet the Prohibitionists, while m conference in AVollington, not satisfied with the Press Association cablegram, cabled to the secretary of the' Prohibition and. Early Closing League in Adelaide, asking if that cablegram was correct. In his reply, lie would not admit that 6 o'clock closing had ushered in an increase in drunkenness in Adelaide, so lie' said: "Tho number is just about the same." But tho sub-inspector's report to the Premier shows an increase of over 20 per cent. Yet we are told to support: tho agitation for six o'clock because it will reduce drunkenness! Adelaide's experience is against the Prohibitionists and early closing agitators.The Premier of South Australia says: "The number of arrests is 110 criterion at all of the drunkenness prevailing,' and. then he attempts to nullify the facts by adding—and tile figures do not justify tho assumption that there has been more drinking. , Tho fact is again against this assumnton, not, perhaps, as far'as-tho hotels are concerned, for they close at 6 o'clock, but as far as the actual consumption'by the public is concerned. How do I know that there has been more intoxicating liquor bought and consumed in Adelaide since 6 o'clock closing? There have been more beer stamps used, and that is the best evidence of consumption available. If wo have an increase of paid in beer duty in Wellington over a corresponding period, we know that the demand for that commodity has been greater during the period wherein the larger amount of duty was paid. Apply this to Adelaide, and away goes the assumption of less drinking under early closing. Here are tho returns of the' beer duty collected in South Australia :— Beer duty paid. -C s. d. April, 1915 (U o'clock closing 7612 8 '1 April, 1916 (6 o'clock closing) 8631 12 1(1 Increase for 6 o'clock closing 989 i (i

An increaso of 39,069 gallons for the first month of. early closing. It is worth observing liore that when six o'clock closing was carried, tho brewers applied for a two-gallon license, and although hotelkeopers opposed their application "it was granted; and immediately one brewing firm placed an order for 5000 two-gallon kegs! That is how the consumption increased. Tho liquor wont into the homes direct from tho brewery. Is this what early closers and Prohibitionists want? Now, under this system, the hotelkeepers are punished who havo made their contracts with owners under the declared word of the peoplo that no alteration in licensing would be rnado in New Zealand for three years from December( 1914. The, peoplo gave their ■<'ord—indeed, they entered into a bond— and now the Prohibitionists (Germanlike) want to destroy the "scrap ot paper' the people gave the Trade -last elections. It is not British; it is not. honest. It is evidence o fa low 6tate of commercial morality. It' not fail' plaj;. But Prohibitionists and early closing agitators have no regard for word, bond, or "6crap of paper." It is no cxcuso to say tho war is on,.

The war had farther to go and looked ■ lilackor in December, HIH, than it does' to-day. But what does Adelaide's e.vpeiienco teach 11s? It teaches us plainly that if we close the hotels earlier we do not lessen tlic consumption of liquor. We only violate our pledge to the Trade which has taken us at our word and built its undertakings upon it; and we drive the legitimate trade into illegitiamte channels where there is more drink-' ing, moro drunkenness—and worse. Besides violating New Zealand's bond, tho early closing agitation is clamouring for an intensified period of drunkenness, immorality and disease among our soldiers.—l am, etc., R.D.C. Sir,—l notice in your paper's Teport of the business men's deputation on Monday to the Prime Minister that Mr. Fmdlay stated that those with him did not represent any organisation. This statement was rather discounted bv the very partisan remarks of Mr. \Vhyte, who, at Friday's meeting of the Moderate League, moved the resolution to form the deputation. Mr. Whyte overlooked the fact that this movement for early closing of hotel bars has gone far beyond the prohibitionists. The sale of ljquor after 6 p.m. is in the nature of a luxury,-and a growing bodv of public opinion favours its being stopped for the period of the war. iF the Moderate Leaguo had been moderate in. fact as well as in name it would not have allowed its executive to engineer this deputation, whose speakers .so actively pushed , tho interests of the liquor-sell-ers.—l am, etc., NOT A PROHIBITIONIST.