SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 June 1917, Page 5

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING.

PUBLIC MEETING. ,_.£.> AFFIRMATIVE MOTION CARWHD. ( A public meeting was held in the Good Templar Hull last night to consider the question of approaching Parliament with a view to having the closing hour for hotels fl-ved lit « p.m. The Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) occupied the chair, about 100 Jadies and gentlement being present The Mayor explained that he had called the meeting at the request of a numter of citizens, and that»any resolution* that might "be passed would be forwarded to the Government. The question to be discussed was at present creating interest throughout the Dominion, and therefore it hud been thought desirable, to obtain an expression of opinion from New Plymouth. Mr. A. H. Johnstone moved: "That this meeting of citizens of New Plymouth, being satisfied that, in order to win the war, it is essential that throughout the Empire every means should lie adopted to secure the maximum of efficiency in military, commercial, industrial and social affairs, and to reduce private expenditure, and also the demands upon [the means of transport; and being convinced that the restriction of the houi of sale of lntoxi>ilir\i- liquors would assist in these directions more than an other single reform, urgently request* the Government to prepare and introduce into Parliament, at the earliest possible date, a Bill to reduce the hours for sale of liquor to the hours from 8 o'clock a.m. to B o'clock n.m., and to use every effort to hare the Bill passed into effect without' delay." In supporting the motion, he thought it must have struck every thoughtful person as a peculinr fact that meetings had to be called throughout the Dominion to deal witb, liquor restriction, especially as, the lefra objects of the movement were national efficiency, national strength, and nation* al economy, but it was perfectly elear that such meetings were necessary, because, Apparently, the National Government was not prepared to move in the matter. It was now about three years since the war began, and the end was not yet in sight. At the outbreak of war there was one opinion, that the Allies must put forth their utmost strengtfc if they were to win in as short a time as they hoped. Within a few months Russia, with a stroke of the pen, had wiped out the use of liquor. Shortly afterwards France followed suit by prohibiting the sale of spirits, and Britain, moving more slowly, eventually restricted the time during which public houses might remain open to ftvfe and a half hours per day. As to the British colonies, Canada had dealt with the qUesi tion, and as to Australia, ho believed that, with the exception of Queensland, there was not a State of the Commonwealth in which there had not been restriction. It would thus appear that in the British Empire New Zealand was the only country—excepting Africa, with, the conditions of which he was not acquainted—that had done nothing in this direction. He did not consider this was ' ereditable to New Zealand, the people of ■ which were apt to assume that they led other countries in benefloial legislation. ■ In saying this ho was not losing sight of the fact that Parliament had ' passed, nhat was popularly known as the Antishouting law, and another measure against women being allowed about ho? Tel bars, but it waß well known that the first of these was practically a dead letter, while the second, he hoped and believed, wa* quite unnecessary, But the , very passing of these laws was an admission that some restriction was necessary, and it was not satisfactory that no further action had been taken. Meetings were being held in various parts of the Dominion and petitions largely signed in favor of six o'clock closing—the people wanted it, and he thought they were going to get it. Details of toe proposal could not be dealt with at such a! meeting as that, but he might point out, thta six o'clock closing did not mean entire closing, but, on the contrary, pre- : supposed that the hotels would be kept open. If the shorter hours meant loss that loss should not be entirely borne by the licensees—the owners should bear their part of the burden—tout from what hn knew of hotelkeepers he did not think that one of them would object to bearing their share of the common burden imposed by the-war. The Rev. F. Harvie seconded the mo* tion, and said it gave him special plea* sure to do so because he was not a prohibitionist, and the church he represented had never declared in favor of prohibition. Still they were in sympathy with the 0 o'clock closing movement, because it seemed to them absolutely ridiculous in this abnormal time to go on in a normal way. Tn answer to questions Mr. Johnstone said ho could not give exact details as to when hotels were opened and closed In Britain. The point was that the ne- , coasity for some restriction had been realised. Mr. J. McLeod said he was quite op* posed to the idea that six o'clock closing in the Dominion would in any way increase the efficiency of the men or country, o> help to win the war, He also obtcted to any resolution passed at that eetins going -forth as the feeling of ?lo\v Plymouth, since it did not represent oW hundredth part of the population of tic town,-nor one fortieth of its adult tizens. Ha was strongly of opinion ftiiat Parliament should not be asked to ejosc the hotels at sis; o'clock, but that lie question should be referred to the ote'of the people in November or December next. He moved that the open--' (hg sentence be amended to read: "That" this meeting, representing one fortieth' j'f the sti«fnsV»f NewVPlytaouth," etc/ ' The Tnotibn" was seconded by Mr. J.-, Clarke, but was lost on the voices. . Mr. McLeod then moved as a further/ 1 amendment "That this meeting is of: opinion fiial the'CoVernmerlt **houM submit the question of six o'clock closing to the people."—Seconded by Mr B. Watkin. Several of those present protested that the amendment placed them in a false position as they would have to vote against it to support the motion, although thev strongly favorod the principle of going to the people, having no fi-nr of the result. The Mayor ruled that the amendment i was in order, but on it being put it ■ jvas li.r-t. wul Mr. Johnstone's original motion eiirricd, both on the voices. Mr. 3l>-- "»"l "'en offered to move the amcndvH-ia ho u»<l moved as a further substantial - 1 "", in order that the ! gentleniin \ •! i-omplained might be relieved fi'"'■■ considered I ■ false posit: vas decided that the same pv. ; ng been defeat* ed, could noi ' Mr. W. A. I -vied Mr. B. Okey, M.P., a "'»■« of sll ' o'clock closing, I : ;rnature» i and Mr. Okey acee TslbilitJ ' of presenting It to . on thl ■djxMt <Uv of thasnus*