LICENSING COMMITTEES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2209, 5 June 1908, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEES.

f WOMEN DRINKING IN CHRISTCHURCH. A MANAWATU REPORT. (Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 4. At the annual meeting of the Christchurch Licensing Committee to-, day, Sub-Inspector Dwyer had some interesting remarks to make regarding the question recently raised as to the prevalence or otherwise of drinking among Women as in-other places. He said the question might bo asked if drinking among women in the hotels had attained any magnitude in the Christchurch licensing district. For some time past this matter had received close attention, and.from his constant observation and from reports furnished from time to tr.no by the sergeants doing, duty in. the city the habit, of drinking was-not on the increase, nor was it. carried on to any great extent. On Saturdays and market days a. good many farmers and people from the country use the hotels with stabling accommodation attached, and after their business and shopping was over their wives accompanied them to these hotels and with them partook of refreshments. In tho suburbs and outskirts of the city a few women,, apparently the wives of working hum, went to the hotels with jugs for their “home consumption.” These, with a few of the fallen class, comprised the drinking women in the city. There was another matteT that lie desired to bring under, the notice of tho committee, and that was the number of prohibited persons who, from time to time, came before the court for breaking the conditions of tlioir order. He knew tho ease with which these persons could procure liquor without going to the hotels themselves for it, but still he thought that a few of tho publicans did not take the necessary steps to find out who tho prohibited person was when they were served with the usual notice. Ho did not say that they would he successful in all cases, hut in 'many instances he thought they would be if they took' the trouble to make the proper inquiries.

MARTON, Jujio 4. Before proceeding with the applications at tho annual meeting of the Manawatu Licensing Committee today, the chairman said that he wished to publicly state that everything had been quite as it should be. Tho Health Department had been" most indefatigable in supplementing the efforts of the committee, and tho committee' had bestowed most painstaking attention. During the last three years there had been a marked improvement in all the hotels in the Manawatu licensing district. The committee were very clear on this point, that in every respect the improvement in the whole district had been of a most satisfactory character. All applications were granted, subject to the Health Officer’s requirements in several hotels being complied- with. NEW PLYMOUTH, June 4. At the annual meeting of tho Licensing Committee to-day, the police reports wore favorable, and all licenses were, renewed.