BACK TO LICENSE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4994, 30 June 1926, Page 2

BACK TO LICENSE.

CHANGE IN OHINEMURI.

HOTELS MAY OPEN TO-MORRO'W.

After being in operation in Ohinemuri for seventeen yea,rs the state of no-license terminates at 12 o’clock to-night.

So far as at present cap be judged, there will possibly be not more than two hotels ftt Paeroa and a similar number at Waihi in a position to be opened to-morrow afternoon, following the sitting of the Licensing Committee. In the remaining instances the buildings and sanitary arrangements have not been sufficiently advanced. It is the intention of the Licensing Committee at its meeting at noon to-morrow to grant licenses to those hotels which are actually ready a.nd comply with the Act. The committee also meets again on Monday' next, when it is anticipated that further licenses will be grantedThe day of the reopening of hotels is being awaited with keen interest, and there is much speculation as to the probable happenings. There, are those who predict an orgy of drunkenness and visualise crowded police cells, but these things are not likely. Possibly some drinkers may be inclined to celebrate the occasion by sligtly over-stepping the mark, but there is no reason to anticipate that there wiill be any desire or attempt on the part of the great majority of those who indulge in a glass of beer or whisky to run riot and “paint the town red.” Once the novelty has worn off there will be. much less drinking than most people imagine. Away back in the days when the mining industry was booming money was plentiful, and the number of single men with no responsibilities was much larger tha ; ii it is to-day. In those days there was also 1 , allowing for the. cosmopolitan make-up of the town, quite a remarkable freedom from drunkenness. With the more settled conditions now obtaining there need be no fear tha.t the return to license will be attended with undue excess in liquor consumption.