EARLY CLOSING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 23 July 1917, Page 6

EARLY CLOSING

THE TRADE'S VIEW

EFFECT OF ANTI-SHOUTING

AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNMENT

J A deputation representing the Licensed Victuallers of Now Zealand waited upon the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) on Saturday, 4 in order to make representation in opposition to .the demand for early closing. The speakers stated the Trade's point of view in detail, and made an offer to accept a certain reduction of hours in return for the cancellation of the anti-"shouting" regulation. Mr. A. E. Kernot, as president of the National Council of New Zealand, a body representative of owners, brewers, wine and spirit merchants, licensed victuallers, and members of the allied trades, was the first speaker. "I feel that it is necessary for me in placing the views of those I represent beforeyou," ho said, "to remind you that matters pertaining to the continuance of the licensed trade in this Dominion wore, towards the close of the year 19U, at the most critical period of the war, referred to the vote and decision of the people. Then the people by their vote decided that the licenses throughout the Dominion should continue until the next election, in accordance with the terms and conditions fixed and imposed by the Licensing Act. We were justified in assuming that the contract which tha people bv their votes then entered into would not be varied in any way until the same was again reviewed at another election. We ..find, however, that the opponents of, the ' licensed trade have not, in the interests of a muted Dominion, been prepared to a low tho people's verdict to remain unchallenged. On the contrarv, they have systematical, lv agitated for further restrictions of the' rights of the licensed trade, and have endeavoured to make -war conditions an excuse for their breach of faith. 1 need scarcely remind you that as a result of this agitation the Legislature saw fit last year to impose by war regulations certain restrictions in the direction of anti-'shouting' or treating, and these restrictions were imposed upon the licensed trade, which agreed to them as some measure of sacrifice on their part to meet the exigencies which the war conditions appeared then to demand. These restrictions have affected the licensed trade very materially, as is evidenced by the fact that through the anti'shouting' regulations their business has been reduced by not less than 25 per cent, throughout the Dominion. Despite this sacrifice on the part of the trade, and the loss which the same entails, its opponents now seek to impose upon them an additional sacrifice or loss in the direction of curtailing the hours during- which alcoholic Honors may bo sold. We contend that to impose such a restriction would be manifestly unjust and inequitable, as the licensed trade would be asked or called upon, to bear losses or make sacrifices out of all proportion to those required f.'oni other businesses. A Solution Suggested. "It has been suggested tttat the licensed trade is not prepared to meet the exigencies oi {Tie present position in a fair and public-spirited manner, buch is not the case; the licensed hade has always been willing to meet the position fairly and liberally; but there are limitations beyond which they :-aiuiot go, iii fairness to themselves, their employees, and to their financial obligations. A'dual sacrifice such as is sought to be imposed by the proposed burden ot restricted horn's, in addition to the restrictions imposed by anti-'shouting regulations, will mean ruination ■ to a large majority of those engaged in the trade. This being the case-and with all due regard to their duties as citizens-they have empowered me, as president ot the National Council of New Zealand, to make to you the following sr.fcgcstions as a solution of the difficult problems now confronting the National Go\ernment, viz:— (1) That tho present Anti-'shouting'. Regulations ■ be repealed. (!>) That in lien of such Anti-'shout-ing' Regulations they will voluntarily accept and agree to a curtailment of hours during the present war, and for a period not exceeding six ninths thereafter, to the hours between S o'clock a.m. and 9 o'clock p.m. (3) That as regards such cirtailment they will bear the sacrifice and loss thereby entailed upon their own shoulders, 'with requiring or seeking any compensation in respect thereof, although such curtailment means a, variation of the contract entered into with them by the peoplo at the poll. "We contend that the above suggestions offer a fair and equitable solution ot the difficulties brought about by Ihe present unwarranted agitation. If, however, in the'opinion of the Government, further curtailment of hours beyond those suggested be requisite, then, as it is contended that such is required as a national' necessity, the licensed trade respectfully submits that they etould be compensated out of the Consolidated Funds for any loss they may sustain by reason thereof. Jt is only right that as the people consider they will benefit by such further curtailment, the Hate as representative of the people, should compensate those who suffer the loss, viz., the licensed trade. "I have endeavoured in tho foregoing suggestions to give to you us concisely as possible the views of tho trndo as to the extent of the sacrifice or loss they feel they can possibly bear.. I can assure you that the proposals now submitted have been most carefully considered, and embody our ideas rs to the maximum extent to which- we can go without seeking compensation _ from the State by reason of any variation of tno people's contract with the licensed trade. We trust that the Government will give our proposals fair and just consideration, and we believe Parliament will not be induced to do a gross injustice because, of an agitation brought about .by those''who have no practical knowledge of the businesses they seek to ii.juro, and who have no conception of the sacrifices and losses which have already been sustained by those vitally interested in the whole licensed trade." The Mandate of the People. Mr. C. E. Aldridge, president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association of New Zealand, protested against' the continuous agitation which was being carried on year after year by a political organisation known as the Prohibition Party. ' "Their agitation is merely political," he said, "and has resulted in no benefit whatever to the community as a whole. We had trusted that last year's legislation would have been regarded as sufficient restriction upon the licensed trade. There was the Anti-Treating Regulation, there were other restrictive measures, there was an increase in the excise duty on beer, and an increased Customs duty on spirits, all of which tho Trade, realising that the country was at war, bore upon its own shoulders, inasmuch as it has not passed the cost of all these restrictions, increased wages, and the increased cost of living, as charges upon the public, so far as the retail price of alcoholic liquors are concerned. Combined with the war. and the manifest disposition of the people to practice greater economy in war time, this has resulted in a. decrease in the trade of tho licensed victualler of from 25 per cent, to 30 per cent, of his previous business. This fact is borne out by a reduction in revenue in Customs and excise duties of •.£300,00(1 as between that received in IMS-1(> and that obtained in 191G-17. "The licensed trade throughout New Zonland accepted the mandate of the people in December, mil, in the light of a contract given by the electors that there would be no alteration in the existing system as regards hours of sale, until the electors had another opportunity of expressing their minds on this subject. The licensed victuallers therefore entered into financial obligations, expended large sums on buildings and replenishing their hotels, doing so in some cases at the dictation of the Licensing Committees for tho purpose of making the hotels more desirable as social clubs, meeting places for m°n who have no clubs, and providing adequate conveniences for the travelling public. Tho proposed curtailment

of horn's is calculated to cause great ioss to those who are conducting the licensed trade, and make it more difficult for them to fulfil the obligations they have entered into, and wo realise that quite a number of them will be unable to carry on under further restrictions. Wo regard the earlier closing as a species of class legislation directed specifically against the less well-to-do, who are unable to lay in stocks of liquor for consumption in their homes. Wo realise, further, that the earlier closing of hotels will have the eltect of driving what is now our legitimate business into illegitimate channels, cultivating drinking.in the homes, and creating evils that do not exist in connection with the licensed trade. Indeed, we are «onvinced that earlier closing will bo a menace to the soldier's welfare if the hotels are closed in the evening hours against soldiers on leave and citizens generally. They may be driven to seek entertainment in houses of ill-repute and sly-grog shops, to their physical, mora!, and menial detriment. For ourselves we oppose greater disabilities being put upon the soldiers. They are civilians in military uniform under military rule, and unless wo assume that they are disfranchised, they are.entitled to all civilian privileges and rights when not on duty. Winning the War. "Wo hold that there is no necessity for earlier closing in New Zealand from a win-the-war viewpoint. New Zealand is not n munition area, and it is only in the munition areas in Great Britain that tho hotels are closed at !l o'clock p.m., and they are open on Sundays in Great Britain for five hours up to !) p.m. That is in the munition areas; in other parts which are not munition areas the original hours remain unaltered. That there is no necessity for increasing the restrictions upon the consumption of alcoholic beverages in New Zealand is homo out by the fact that the people in New Zealand under the existing hours of sale, consume only about onethird of the amount consumed per head of the population by tho people of Great Britain. That was in the pre-war year. The consumption under the restrictions imposed upon the manufacturers at Home has compelled a reduction (exclusive of that consumed by the soldiers in camps and in Army canteens in France) to an amount just about equal to the consumption in New Zealand per head of the population at the present time. And that, sir, does not take into account the fact that there has been a resolve on the part of the British Government this month (July) to increase tho output of beer to meet the demands of the British working men, whom the King has just thanked for their energy and efficiency in tho production, of war materials. "Wo would also point out that earlier closing is not at all necessary in the interests of national efficiency and economy. Oar agricultural! produce has been vastly increased alike in quantity and in value; notwithstanding the depreciation of our man-power, our industrial efficiency has not. been impaired. To show that our people havo practised economy since the war began it is oniy necessary to 'mention that since the war broke out ten millions sterling havo been added to the deposits in the Post Office Savings Banks of tho country. Taking the credits in-the commercial banks and including the war 'oan and the credits of the people in the savings banks, the financial efficiency of NewZealand is shown by an aggregate credit of thirty-four millions sterling. Wo hardly think it is fair to the people that they should bo charged with having lowered their national efficiency by over-expenditure in alcoholic beveniges in the face of these figures. New Zealand's Record. "1 would also draw your attention to the fact that the Prohibition Party has alleged as a plea for earlier closing that the present conditions and present hours for tho sale and purchase of alcoholic liquors havo shuttered our moral strength. This is quite contrary to the fact. Since tho war there have been fewer arrests for over-indulgence. There were nearly three thousand fewer cases last year. There were four thousand fewer convictions by. the Magistrates of the Dominion in "a full year of war, and fower crimes of a serious character have been committed. Commenting on the criminal calendar at Auckland, Mr. Justick Hosking said: 'There appears to be a similar diminution in Supreme Court cases throughout the Dominion..' This statement has been repeated in various forms by the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Edwards, and others, so that taking these facts into consideration it cannot bo alleged with truth that the present conditions and the present hours of sale in the licensing trade have shattered the moral strength of the nation. In connection with tho alleged necessity for greater economy, and the proposal to compel us to make greater sacrifices, are we not justified in suggesting that tho National Government should exercise a policy of equality of sacrifico upon all sectious of the. community; for, from an economical point of view, we see vast sums being spent in many-ex-travagant ways against which no agitation has been raised?

"Turning to our own case, and in conclusion, I have to state on behalf of some fifteen hundred license-holders whoso businesses aro to be materially affected that in the event of greater restrictions being imposed than those suggested by the offer made, then it will be necessary for the Government to make ■provision for tho payment of compensation bv tho State for the adjustment, of rates and taxes, and for the violation ol the contract and the 'consequent loss of business which would be caused by acceding to the demands of tlie opponents of the licensed trade. The legal position of the licensed trade has been thoroughly established in this connection, and'it is only necessary for me to add that in the words of'your AttorneyGeneral 'It would be a gross injustice on the part of this Parliament if we were to curtail the rights of those individuals (meaning the licensed- victuallers) and take away what is really their property without making adequate payment for the loss sustained.' "We assume that compensation will be opposed by the Prohibition Party; but, justice demands it, and it is not righteous, just, or honest that a political party of Prohibitionists should be continuously agitating to compel other people to make sacrifices when they are making none themselves. Wo have no doubt that you, sir, and the National Government will give duo consideration to the matters I have presented to you." The Country Hotels. The case for the country hotelkeepers was presented by Mr. S. J. Gibbons, of llarton, who said the country districts were not only not munition areas, but they were far from the training •camps, and their conditions had no analogy whatever to the conditions obtaining in tho munition ureas of Great Britain. For that reason there was no justification whatever for applying even 9 o'clock closing to the country hotels. That earlier closing was not needed as an Act of Parliament was established from tho fact that the Government had aiready power to regulate the licensed trade by closing hotels, anywhere and at any time, should any necessity arise. Special legislation, therefore, in this respect, was quite unnecessary, and in.tho interests of avoiding any ill-will or class animosities' under war conditions, tho Government might consider it advisable not to raise the whole of the licensing ottestion in Parliament at this time. Another point was that earlier closing was not necessary in the interests of our military efficiency. We had produced as good fighting men as were to be found in the ranks of the Allied armies, and these men had been trained under existing licensing conditions. Yet it was claimed that earlier closing was necessary for the soldiers! It was an attempt to put our civilian soldiers under greater disabilities than aro borne by ordinary citizens. If the profits the country h'.itelkeeper makes through the sale of alcoholic liquors were taken away or curtailed to any great extent, it would practically close the houses against the travelling public. As a licensed victualler the country hotelkeeper was able to carry on, but -as an ordinary victualler he was faced with bankruptcy. The country hotels were essential to the travelling public and served the same purpose to residents in the country as the city club served to the more fortunate "residents of towns. If further restrictions were placed upon the country hotelkeoper, the standard of accommodation and catering must necessarily be reduced, and that would militate against national rfficiency in a general and commercial way. "Already, through the exigencies of

tho war the drain upon men duo to enlistments, the increased cost of the commodities sold, the added freights, the advance in foodstuffs and wages, the country hotelkeeper, under present conditions was finding it vtry difficult to meet his financial obligations, and they feared that any further restrictions would spell disaster to the country hotelkeeper. As there was no reason whatever either in a moral, military, or economic sense, for the imposition of further restrictions , in this regard upon tho people of this country, the agitation for earlier closing would he found to have had its source in political disappointment; but I they relied upon that sense of justice ] which must actuate the members of the I National Cabinet and its Parliament, to j act justly and honestly towards the licensed victuallers of this country, in the light of the results of the last election. Let the National Government remember that those who east their votes for the continuance of the existing system nuinhered 274,000 electors in a vote of over "half a million, anil that it is n clamorous minority—and not a substantial majority—that is now anxious to deflect the. will of the people, and embarrass tho National Government at this time." MR. MASSETS REPLY REFERENCE TO STATE CONTROL. The Prime Minister, in reply,' said that the speakers had presented the liquor trade's point of view clearly and modorj ately. They had shown that there were i 'two sides to the question. "You can j take it from me that both sides will bo ! considered in Cabinet when the matter ' comes forward, and later by Parliament. | T think that Parliament in the not disI tant future will have to reconsider the j -whole licensing question in order to get j rid of this continual agitation and unj rest from year to year. I noticed exactly j the same thing in England, though pos- •; sibly not to the same extent. The ag'ita- ! tion is proceeding in Australia, Canada, I the United States, and other places. Just : recently a British Parliamentary j Committee has been going into ' the whole question and taking t evidence. The committee has reported ji that in its opinion State ownership or j- Stale, control would be the solution of t| the difficulty. The feeling in favour of j State ownership undoubtedly was grow- ' ing when I was in England. Personj ally, I may say that I am jiot exactly , Tn love with State ownership, but if it is fgoing to Ije the remedy for the d.fiicultv jwe shall have, to consider it. I am [ simply expressing my own opinion. Tho [ matter has not been considered by Cabinet, but .1 do say "that this continued .' agitation is not in the interest of the oody politic. The public nen of the country will liave to find a remedy in some direction. The petitions tl.at have been presented to Parliament on the subject of early closing have been referred direct to the Government, and t- ill be considered by Parliament before legislation is drafted. "I can only tell you, as I have told I the people who ropresenied tl.e of her [ sine, that the proposals will be. given a s straight run in Parliament. This is not a party question. Licensing matters have never been considered a party quesany rate, since I have been. in the Souse. The party in power has ■ never insisted upon its supporters taking one sido or the other, and we propose to follow tho prnctico of previous Personally, T hope wo shall be awe to do ■something that will satis™ t*e great bulk of the people, and that things will then go smoothly r.ntil the next election, when a licensing poll will be_ taken, and tho people will have an. opportunity of expressing their opinion."