H—3B

or in any chartered club or removes liquor, whether purchased before or after the hours of closing, from any such premises or club. The regulation protects the sale and consumption of liquor at meals in the dining-room of an hotel or club between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and also the consumption of liquor by any lodger or his bona fide guest or by the licensee or any member of his family or any of his servants. The regulation does not permit the licensee to entertain his own guests after 6 p.m. : Graham v. Sloan, [1943] N.Z.L.R. 292. 466. The evidence which we took shows clearly that large numbers of people in New Zealand have no hesitation in breaking these laws. For various reasons they desire a drink after hours, and for various reasons the publican or his barman or his barmanporter supplies them. 467. The actual convictions against licensees for selling liquor after closing-hours and against persons found on licensed premises after closing-hours from 1935 to 1944 inclusive are as follows :

The sharp drop in convictions in 1943 suggests that the introduction of the Emergency Regulations in June, 1942, had a beneficial effect. The rise in the convictions against licensees in 1944 should, however, be noted. 468. The Commissioner of Police stated in evidence that, in his opinion, afterhours trading was the main mischief in the liquor trade which required reme'dy to-day (R. 1181). Superintendent Edwards, of Wellington, stated that, in the whole of his thirty-nine years' service in the Police Force, after-hours trading had been a cause of great concern to the Police Department. The police had received numerous complaints, sometimes signed " Mother of Children " or " Wife," but convictions were difficult to obtain because of lack of sufficient evidence (R. 877 and 878). The evidence of other police witnesses shows that convictions are difficult to obtain because hotels have " spotters " on the watch and because bells are so arranged that adequate warning can be given and the licensed premises cleared before the police arrive. It is plain that many people who would regard, say, theft as a crime, have no scruple in demanding a drink after hours from a publican. 469. The evidence does show that some publicans do not indulge in after-hours trading, though how many we cannot say. The evidence also shows that there is none in the lock-up bars in Invercargill. 470. The evidence further shows that many consumers desire drinks after hours because they find it difficult to leave their work in time to obtain a drink in an hotel before 6 p.m., or, if they reach the hotel before 6 p.m., to have it in a leisurely fashion. Miners on the West Coast (R. 5386), shearers in the country (R. 1596), milkers in the country who may be milking from 4 to 7 p.m., and other workers in the country are in this position (R. 2545). The difficulties which these workers have in obtaining a drink make it difficult to obtain labour in some parts of the country (R. 2549). These country workers might, of course, purchase or arrange for the purchase of bottled beer during opening hours and drink it at home. Where 6 o'clock closing is rigidly observed, as in Invercargill, it is said that this practice is being adopted, but this practice does not provide the company and social enjoyment which many drinkers desire. For these reasons there is widespread after-hours trading in the country districts.

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— 1935. 1936. 1937. 1938. 1939. 1940. 1941. 1942. 1943. 1944. Against licensees for selling after houis 662 687 661 661 767 736 591 1 595; 472 567 Against persons found on licensed premises after closing hours 1,821 1,957 2,048 1,863 2,268 2,165 1,688 1,429 960 910