THE WINE QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 192, 14 August 1911, Page 6

THE WINE QUESTION.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Mrs. Trevethick, who has had considerable e.\i>erjence in the lnanuiacture of N.Z. wuie, iniorms us Uiat "Uie Austrians are the chief producers of wine, and that theirs is uianuiactared from pure grape juice.'' The closing paragraph ot her letter conveys Uie impression that the wine she sells id " non-iiiLoxicating, a good and beneficial beverugt and stimulant,'' and she signa her letter, " Licensee."' I wish to your correspondent a couple of ques t Knis: If this Austrian made wine is " pure grape juice," how is it that its consumption is playing such havoc among its consumers, as reports in the "Star" have shown, winch is corroborated by the report of an inquest held before Sir. R. J. Achcsou, S.M., and rejHirted in the "Bay of Islands Luminary"? One of the witnesses said: " 1 know the deceased. 1 saw him on Sunday afternoon. We drank about four bottles of wine. Wo bought a case of wine from the Austrian camp. We went up together, but 1 collapsed, and. went to sleep." Another witness, who evidently took part in the debauch, stated that the next morning, going to work, he saw deceased hanging by the neck from a beam. The other question is: Why doe 9 this lady require a license to sell this nonintoxjeating wine? Other people in this city sell non-intoxicating wine without a license? Why this exception? I presume the reason is that, as a matter of fact, the wine is intoxicating, as is tha? sold all over the North, to the injury ot tho consumers and their friends.—l am, etc., R. FRENCH.