WHEN IS THE HOUR?

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5303, 16 January 1947, Page 4

WHEN IS THE HOUR?

f | j^USTRALIANS have been I sufhciently disturbed of late i weeks over coal, gas, electricity and other incidentals oP industrial and domestic life, but strik- : ing has been on a voluntary ; basis for those taking part in j disputes. Now, however, the adult population of New South I Wales must aoon give an opinion ' on the hour at which hotel bars | will be closed in future. Voting I on the liquor referendum is com- ! pulsory and electors will be 1 asked to state their order of | preference for closing at 6 o'clock, 9 o'clock, or 10 o'clock in j the evening, by placing before j each time the numbers one, two ; or three.

! According to a recent review, | 95 per cent of the voters are expected to put 2 against 9 1 o'clock closing. From this has , arisen an idea that the middle ; is^ue will be earried but it is not > so. Unless it gets more first preferences than either of the ' other times, h will hot have a : chance. Why it should be inI cluded in the ballot, when no ; considerable body of opinion is j taking it seriously, is rather a ! mystery. Future legislation 011 liquor matters is not envisaged in the forthcoming poll, but the ; result will probably be regarded • as indicative of public opinion on j any other proposals. | The Temperance Alliance is ! making strenuous efforts to re- ! tain the existing closing hour j of 6 o'clock, and badges with the ! figure 6 in white on a blue back- ' ground are being sold at one | penny. The Trade is conceni trating 011 extensive newspaper | and radio appeals for "sane and | civilised drinking." Before they ! can accustom themselves to the ! idea that time is not the essence | of alcoholic consumption, the J workers of Sydney will have to | break a legally imposed habit of ' 30 j'-ears, and the British tech1 nique of sipping it slowly may j not be readily acquired. i It is claimed 011 behalf of 10 i o'clock closing that toilers will j be able to get home for a meal ; before entering the Halls of ' Amber. But will the second j exodus of the day not require | a great deal of head work on the j part of paterfamilias, once enI sconced in the bosom of his | family? According to the j N.Z.P.A. representative in Syd- ! ney, who evidently has' studied j his subject, the women are wide I to the implications of extended I hours and his prediction that j the status quo will get a I majority of first preferences is j a reasonable one, assuming the i womenfolk are all for it. i The proponents of 10 o'clock j closing have a strong case on the I basis of the plea that leisured drinking is a deterrent to drunkenness but when they say that it will give the women the opportunity to drink with their menfolk in decent, comfortable | conditions, one is bounct to ask | why the provision of these decent, comfortable conditions is dependent upon customers drinking at a later hour, or is it the presence of women and girls ' j alone who will establish sueh a ; desirable state of affairs ' and make the pub a club? One would have thought more of this argu- = j ment for longer hours if the \ j hotel owners had d.emonstrated j j in advance just what extra ! benefits Ten O'Clock would ! bring. !