SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1917, Page 5

SIX O'CLOCK CLOSING.

DEPUTATION TO PiRIILB MINISTER. GOVERNMENT WILL NOT SHIRK THE QUESTION. By Telegraph,—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A deputation representing the Dominion National Convention of the NewZealand Alliance, interviewed the Prime Minister this evening to repeat the request that during the period of the war hotel bars should be closed from (i p.m. till 8 a.m. The deputation was introduced by Mr. Poole, M.P., the Rev. R. S. Gray being the principal speaker. The deputation said petitions would be presented to the House signed by upwards of 120,000 people. Mr. Massey, in reply, acknowledged the moderate language in which the representations had been made. He could not say definitely that no poll would be taken this year, but it seemed probable there would be no election, and this would mean no poll. If, however, a general election became necessary, a poll would be taken in the usual way. Their' request for a special poll required a good deal of consideration, and there was a good deal to be said on both sides. He could only assure the deputation that whatever was said to the contrary, the average member of Parliament was just as anxious to promote sobriety amongst the population as the average member of the public. There could be no suggestion that it was not the desire of Ministers to promote sobriety. In case there might be a misunderstanding about soldiers, lie said he had seen a great deal of our soldiers in England during the last few months, and could testify to their sobriety and good conduct. They were not all plaster saints, but he could say that in all that time, when he met thousands of them, he never saw a New Zealand soldier inebriated, and never saw one in the slightest degree affected by liquor. The chief of police in London had told him that none of the Empire's soldiers gave the police so little troubls. or behaved so well as the New Zealand soldiers. This was something which we had all reason to be proud of. In regard to the request for early closing legjsla. tion, he could say the Government was not going to shirk the question. Cabinet had not considered it in any way yet. It must be a policy matter, and no Minister had any right to commit the Government to any course of action until Cabinet had dealt with it. Cabinet would have an opportunity of dealing with the ouestion. and until that had been done he could say nothing further. Then it would be for Parliament to deal with the question, and when the Bill came down any member could propose any amendment he pleased. In reply to a question, Mr. Massey said a Bill could not come down at once, but would come down in due course, and would not be delayed until the dying hours of the session. He would not commit the Government to any measure providing for a referendum. This would be i matter for consideration; also, his experience had been that a referendum was not satisfactory. He did not refer to the' local option poll; that would stand. His opinion, however, was that the .elected representatives of the people should carry the responsibility.