WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 September 1917, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING. THE RESTRICTION BILL. (Special Correspondent.) WELLIGTON, Sept. 19. The debate on the Sale of Liquor Restriction Bill so far as it proceeded in the House last night was a little disappointing. The Prime Minister is moving the second reading of the measure, though obviously anxious to deal with the question of hotel hours in a judicial spirit, was not particularly happy in his efforts to conciliate the "sis o'dockers" Perhaps he scarcely appreciated their attitude. He talked of the rights of the majority and the needs of the revenue, while their minds were occupied with the recommendations of the Efficiency Board and the "iniquities" of "The Trade." But in spite of more or less irrelevant interjections from both sides of the House Mr Massey maintained the thread of his story to the end and when he sat down at the conclusion of his hour he had presented a very lucid exposition of the scope and purpose of the Bill and had made his own intention to stand by eight o'clock perfectly clear. ■A TACTICAL BLUNDER. The "six o'dockers" in their contributions to the debate made the tactical blunder of dwelling rather on the evils of the liquor traffic than on the need for national efficiency. Mr Hornsby, who was the lucky one to catch the Speaker's eye among three or four aspirants for the distinction of following the Prime Minister, was one of the least offenders in this respect. His speech was mainly devoted, indeed, to a defence of the British working man against the charge of excessive drinking and though it was delivered in support of six o 'clock closing it would have served the other side almost as well. Mr Harris relieved his fervid denunciation of "The Trade" by quoting from a little pamphlet prepared under the direction of the Minister of Defence in which soldiers are exhorted to abstain from strong drink and invited to sign a pledge of total abstinence during the course of the war.

COMPENSATION. The Prime Minister had touched lightly on the question of compensation and Mr Harris had scoffed at the idea of paying '' The Trade '' for obeying the law, but it was left to Mr Isitt to deal more particularly with this aspect of the controversy. Of course the arguments and precedents against compensation were familiar enough to the House, but the member for Christchurch North marshalled them with, consummate skill; but even he could give them little application to the question of early closing. The point he did make rested on a statement made by Mr Massey r to the effect that closing the licensed houses at eight o 'clock instead of ten o'clock would result in the publicansi losing /tne half " thcifr trade. This, he exclaimed, would mean a saving of at least two millions to the people and a corresponding increase of in their prosperity and comfort. THE OUTLOOK. It was easy, of course, to show that if closing the licensed houses at eight o'clock would save the country two millions, closing them at six o'clock would save four millions and that what remained of "waste" and "degredation" would be a mere negligible quantity. But the House showed no disposition to be greatly impressed by Mr Isitt's figures. The truth of the mat; tor is every member has made up his mind as to the way in which he is going to vote. The "Six O'clockers" and the "Eight O'clockers" are very evenly balanced, there being, probably, not a couple of votes between them, but there are a number of members who will accommodate their views to the proposals of the Government and turn the scale on that side. This was the general opinion expressed in the lobbies last night and there appears to be no change ,in the position to-day.