SIX O’CLOCK CLOSING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1741, 28 July 1917, Page 4

SIX O’CLOCK CLOSING.

A MAORI MEMBER’S OPINION. The G-o’clock closing issue was summed up in a very logical if amusing fashion in the House of Representatives on Wednesday by Mr C. Parata, member for the Southern Maori District. He spoke on the matter feelingly, and his characteristic speech met with the ready approval of the House, who accompanied his address with many hear, hears. “I believe in British fair play,” said Mr Parata, “and I don’t think we should do a wrong to any people. Tins proposal to close the hotels at ti-o’clock is not fair. (Hear, hear). Of course, we know that this proposal comes from a certain section of the people—the prohibitionists.” A member: “No, it does not.” Mr Parata: “I believe it does. It is a sort of madness with them. These people have a madness. They think they are doing the rigid thing by prohibition. They think they are doing the right thing for the people. But they are not. Last lime (hey tried to get the hotels down and they failed. But they succeeded -with the question of anti-shouting. Their representative in the House near was quite satisfied. But they were very fortunate that it was carried. You would think they would he satisfied. Thcv were not pleased with cutting off one arm of the hotel people, and limy deluged this House with petitions with thousands and thousands of names. Much paper, and (he price ol: paper so high. (Laughter). But they want to cut off the other oi'in of the hotelkeeper. They might os well cut off his throat. (Laughter). Yes, they sent in huge petitions. I look over some of them and find half a dozen petitions signed by lim same mime. Yes, I looked and ! saw ibis. Those have been signed by thousands and thousands, and ihere is nobody to witness. However, we have now accepted these petitions, and they arc pat through the House. I say surely there are much heller things that these precould do than persecute these people, who are pa; ' g high prices for their materials. AVby not deluge this House with petitions on the high price of bread ? A\ by not deluge us with petitions about motor ears? (Hear, hear). Why not send us petitions about expensive elolbing ? Why do they not ask us Id come down in sack cloth and dungarees ? (Laughter). There arc dlher things that these sectarians can do. These people say it will do our soldiers belter, but (hey are hypocrites. Our soldiers are second to none on the front, and every one has done his duty. Did drink burl (hem? These people are misleading their congregations. They preach from the pulpit and they waste money getting people to sign petitions. When they preach only one man lias a say —no man can gc( up and say different. What they say is law. Why, it is a one-man slunw (Laughter). After they have listened they go to the altar and sign. If we dose Hie hotel at G o’clock we do an injustice (o our citizens and soldiers. The liquors will go somewhere else, there will be houses of ill-fa mo, and there will be a worse condition of affairs than over. We have trusted (he soldier before when he was in civilian clothes. AVhy not trust him when he goes in soldier clothes to light our battles'? (Hear, hear). And they say about economy. AVhy, there has never been siuli money here before. The banks, are full of it. I fell you it isn’t honest lo these people. It’s thieving. It’s taking money out of their pockels. 1 won’t do it. (Hear, hear). Why should we be branded as criminals if; one man abuses himself? The man who cuts off his throat — is dial any reason why wo should stop Hie merchants from selling razors? (Laughter). And the man who hangs himself, is that any reason why we should stop selling rope? If we did wo could not work our farms. (Laughter). T tell you 1 won’t do it.”