ANTI-"SHOUTING"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2869, 6 September 1916, Page 5

ANTI-"SHOUTING"

THE PLIGHT'OF THE PUBLICANS. One result of the operation of the anti-"shouting" regulation has been an increase in tlio sales made at the bottle, stores, where the public allegedly does business, on the basis of "a Binglo bottlo at wholesale prices.'r A Dominion reporter who mado inquiries on this subject yesterday iearned that the increase, while considerable in _ itself in soine of the licensed houses, is a very small matter indeed in comparison with tho loss on the ordinary bar trado. Tho bottle stores used to be patronised to somo extent by women, who aro now excluded by-the new war regulations. The extra sales made to men under tho present conditions may bo taken to indicate that a certain amonnt of "shouting" lias been transferred to private t promises, but the figures provido very ' little consolation for licensees. Devices for evading the nnti-"shout- ' ing" rule have been discussod, but tho police, whoso duty it is to soe that "every gontlenian pays for his own drink," ao not expect to have any difficulty on this score; The fact is that tho pleasure of tho "shout" disappears as soon as an air of stealth is imparted to what used to bo a, social habit. "Much of the 'shouting' was done by men who had no particular desiro to consume a certain number of drinks," said a licensee yesterday.. "The 'shout' / was a mark. of friendship an 3 goodfollowsliip. I don't think any of us realised how milch a national habit it • had become.. Now the barmaid tells the'' men they must pot buy drinks for ono and most of them won't bother ■ to deceive her by any juggling of sixpences. The charm-of the 'shout' was Its easy and spontaneous character." It■does not : appear that steps havo been taken yet to reduce bar-room staffs in any part ,of Wellington, but somo action in that direction is anticipated by licensed victuallers if the present slump in trade continues. -The amount ■of hardship involved will be minimised /by the fact that barmaids are scarce in Now Zealand, and are steadily growing scarcer under the operation of ■ the law of 1912, which prohibited the registration of barmaids after June I,' 1913. Girls and womon have not been able to cntor tho trado since that date, and tho Tanks of tho registered barmaids aro thinned steadily by marriage and retirement. Tho reduction of staffs will not solve the problem created for hotel licensees by the war regulations, and it appears to bo generally recognised in the trade that some concerted action will requiro to be taken for tho relief of those who havo been hard hit by the change. It is possiblo that the Government will he asked to provido somo machinery for tho amendment of leases that wore entered into upon tho assumption that the old conditions of trade : would bo maintained. ■