WOMEN WHO DRINK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2135, 10 March 1908, Page 2

WOMEN WHO DRINK.

ARE THEY INCREASING? POLICE INVESTIGATIONS. SOME STARTLING FIGURES. At the last meeting of the Auckland Licensing Committee Sub-In-spector Gordon submitted a report in connection with women and the drink habit. This habit amongst females at some of our suburban hotels had, lie said, come to the police in the nature of a surprise. These females were mostly well-dressed, respectable women, and were not infrequently accompanied by young girls and children. Taking a case at random from tlie reports—by no means the worst one —he stated that in seven hotels visited on one night no less than *55 women, who had five children with them, were.found drinking. In some of the hotels rooms were specialty set apart, marked “For ladies only.” Of course, added the sub-inspector, illcre was nothing to prevent.women from going to hotels and drinking there, any more than there was to prevent men, hut it would be very much to bo regretted if it were to be found that drinking amongst women was on tho increase. He mentioned this matter in tho hone that the committee might be able to suggest some means to prevent this evil from spreading. The chairman (Mr. P. E. Cheal) thought the sub-inspector was to be commended for his report. Mr. G. Aicldu asked if Mr. Gordon had any remedy to suggest. Tho sub-inspector, replied that in view of the fact that most .women who drank did so secretly, it was preposterous that private bars should bo available for their use. In such places they could drink without their husbands or, friends knowing. Ho had never seen' the custom until recent years. Police sergeants had been put on to ascertain if it was a growing habit. Tbo records obtained varied. Once they got as many as 81 women in eight hotels on one night. That did not represent the whole night’s drinking, but iust the two or three minutes when the police visits were made, Tho real extent of the drinking amongst women was therefore not known. One day they found G 6 women, with 12 children, in certain hotels. The Chairman asked if a recommendation from the committee that the police should continue to visit tho hotels and report on the number of women found in them wpuld do any good ? Sub-Inspector Gordon replied that it might have the effect of making the women keep out of the way. In the city itself, he mentioned, the police had found very few women of the respectable class drinking—they were generally women of a loose stamp. Mr A. Rosser asked if the women aver found in any particular class of hotel. The Sub-Insepctor: No. More figures based on the investigations of the police were then quoted. On, Tuesdays, during the inquiries, four visits w T ere paid to various hotels, and an aggregate of 32 women found in them; on Wednesdays nine visits and an aggregate of 57 women and three children; on Fridays four visits yielded an aggregate of 43 women and seven children, and oil Saturdays in 16 visits there were iii the aggregate 728 women and 24 children on licensed premises. The figures, the sub-inspector said, had come <as a shock to the police. Mr Rosser: To us, too. The sub-insepecor said that legislation seemed to be required. Wo legislated to stop Maori women from getting drink. If our women were to take to drinking it would be a curse to the nation. ' On tho motion of Mr Rosser it was rejolved to thank Sub-Inspector Colon for drawing attention to the matter, and to ask tho police to continue keeping tho subject under their superwith tho view of reporting thereon at the annual meeting of the committee.