SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2837, 31 July 1916, Page 8

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING

PARLIAMENT AND THE PEOPLE MEETING OF PROTEST REFERENDUM WANTED KEEN DISAPPOINTMENT EXPRESSED. Keen disappointment was expressed by srxw.kers at Everybody's Theatre last evening at tho action of Parliament in ignoring the appeal to restrict the hours for selling liquor during tho war crisis The Rev. ICnowles-Smith presided, and tho theatre was three-parts filled. In his opening remarks the chairman said that tho meeting was not a Central Mission one, although tho Central Mission was a part of it. ft was really a meeting of citizens who were alarmed at the attitude of Parliament on the early-closing question. Ho expressed disappointment at the failure of the Dominion to eain a curtailment of the drink traffic. The 6 o'clock closing clause in the Bill had been wiped out, and the people of New Zealand wero not being fairly treated, because a referendum was not to be taken on the ques. Parliament and the Bill. Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., tho first sneaker, said that he was not sure whether any of tho members of Parliament connected with the movement could explain the position they now found themselves in. The speaker then outlined the iiistorv of the movement. People had said that the Prohibition party lmd been the instigntors of the movement. As a matter' of fact, one of the first moves in tho matter had been made by a small committee of Wellington ladies, who had asked tho Minister of Defence to close the hotels at G p.m., and establish wet canteens in'the camps. Then a committee of business men waited upon the Prime Minister. and urged the closing of the bars at ,6 p.m. It was not only the Prohibition party who was at the back of the movement. The early closing movement had its ramifications in. all classes of society, with the exception of tho vested interests. Even tho Moderate League favoured the proposal. Tho military authorities were against tho wet canteen, becauso in their opinion there might be too much trouble in camp. It didn't matter, said the speaker, what happened in this connection outside the camp. After reviewing tho inoidentsin Parliament in connection with tho movement, tho speaker asked: "AYhy do we ask for early closing?" Becauso it is a war measure, and it would restrict tho facilities for obtaining drink. It had been said that New Zealand was too far away to be affected in this respect. But surely the mothers and fatliers of sol. diers would prefer that all these temptations'should bo removed. Parliament should have at least risen to the occasion and given New Zealand early closing. The speaker then pointed out what our Allies had done, since war broke out, to. suppress the drink traffic, and especially mentioned Russia. Great Britain had instituted certain reforms in this direction, because it was found that men had failed to turn out munitions satisfactorily. Public men in England, who were against tho restriction in tho first instance, had now to admit that the country was better for it.- And New Zealand had not done ns' much as England, although that country had dono very little. In Qreat Britain there was still an urgent necessity for more reform in the drink traffic,-and the same applies to New Zealand. Sinco the regulation has been enforced in Ontario (Canada) drunkenness had been reduced by GO per cent, in that State. At first New South Wales was against it, but a prohibitionist defeated a Government nominee at. a recent election, and the Government got tho "shock of their lives." The result was that a referendum was taken, and early closing was carried by a huge majority. It had been argued that the New Zealand Parliament had had no mandate from tha people. In certain districts there had been expression's given by the people, and the result had been that all the hotels had been closed in those districts at the last election, and elections beforo that. And yet members who represented those districts had voted neainst. early closing! In conclusion, Mr. Wright said thatw hen the next elections were held ho hoped that electors would remember July, 1916. and' send men to Parliament who would do their bidding. Mi\'C. 3. Poole, M.r., also spoke. A Resolution Carried. Mr. A. R. Atkinson expressed tha'nks on behalf of those present to the speaK-* ers for their addresses. The members os the nlatform had fought an uphill fignt, anulilul missed no point. No better fight could liave been mado. .Parliament had placed Now Zealand in the unique position of having done nothing at all in the direction of Temperance reform, while all other nations had been doing everything possible. Prohibition people had not taken enough interest in the matter, and had the party done so perhaps the .result would have been changed for the better. If the churches had played their part, and religions 'people had helped, (hero woold have been no necessity for holding a protest meet, ing. Mr. Atkinson moved tho following resolution:— ■ "That this public meeting of Wellington citizens strongly protests against tho apparent desire of our Governmeut and Parliament that Now Zealand should stand almost alone among the belligerent countries in refraining from taking any action during the war to reduce the moral and economic waste entailed by the liquor traffic, and believing that this subservient ■ attitude towards the Trade is a gross libel on- the patriotism of our people, and that "tho curtailment of the consumption of liquor is the most, direct and effective method of cheeking waste and increasing national efficiency at a lime when all the energies of tho nation should bo curtailed on the task of winning the war, it calls upon Parliament to make immediate provision for a referendum on early closing." The Rev. A. E. Hunt, in seconding the resolution. Said he was sure that if a referendum was submitted to tho people of New ..Zealand on the question, the result would be the same as in New South Wales. The resolution was carried, only one person voting against it. ' Mr. C. H.' Poole, M.P., and Mr. Isitt, M.P., also spoke.