Story: Liquor laws

10 o'clock closing

10 o'clock closing

Madge Spencer of the Britannia hotel in Wellington pours the last two beers for pub patrons on the first night of 10 o'clock closing in 1967. The more liberal social climate of 1960s New Zealand led to major liquor law reforms. The results of another referendum on licensing hours in 1967 – votes for later closing outnumbered those who chose the status quo by two to one – convinced Parliament to end 50 years of 6 o'clock closing that year.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP-Hotels-01

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Paul Christoffel, 'Liquor laws - Loosening of liquor laws', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/37660/10-oclock-closing (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Paul Christoffel, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Dec 2014