BELLAMY'S CRITICISED.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13907, 5 December 1910, Page 2

BELLAMY'S CRITICISED.

• QUALITY OF LIQUORS CONDEMNED. PROTESTS FROM~LEGISLATORa. (SPECIAL TO "THE FREBB.") WELLINGTON, December 3. The quality of wines and spirits supplied to members from Bellamy's was the subject of frr.nk criticism by the Hon. Captain Baillie, in the Legislative CounciK this afternoon. Hβ moved:—"That the Government be requested to take steps to obtain a supply of good and wholesome wines and I spirits from .England, for the comfort and use of members of Parliament. The reason for tabling this motion, said Captain Buillie, was that during the past two or three years wine supplied at various social gatherings in Bellamy's had been very inferior. He had had an analysis made of a certain quantity'of port wine, and the report 6howed that this wine contained 34 per cent, of alcohol. He had referred to the "Encyclopedia Britannica" and iiad found that port wine should contain 20 per cent, to 23 per cent, of alcohol, and other wines down to' 9 per cent. _oi alcohol. He would recommend'the Csovernment to put a'-l the wines on the Amokura and send them. out to sea; ho would not put them in the harbour, as there would be a pestilence from tho dead fish that would be thrown ut> on the beaches. (Laughter). Various members, added Captain Baillie, had also reported to him that whisky and other liquoi"s at Bellamy's were inferior. As Sir Joseph Ward was going to England soon, it would be a good opportunity t6' order a supply of good wines for members; they should not be poisoned with the present supplies. The Attorney-General thought this was a matter that could be safely left to the House Committee. It seemed a rather novel suggestion to make to the Government of the day. The Hon. J. Rigg said there could bo no question that the quality of liquor supplied in Bellamy's was inferior, lhe whisky consisted only of Scotch and Irish draught whisky. Until recently the Irish " whisky was of sufficiently good quality to drink with safety, but it had run out, and had been replaced by a raw whisky, which in his opinion was injurious to health. The " Hon. W. C. F. Carncross thought it was a little humiliating that this branch of Parliament should be occupied in a discussion in the quality of tho whisky: the House Committee should deal with euch a matter as this. The Hon. T. K. Macdonald, Chairman of the House Committee, said the wines, be(»rs, etc., sunplied at Bellamy's, stood on a par with the liquor supplied at any other institution of the kind. Everything was conducted in good style, and he added that Bellamy's now e pnid its way —a thing it did not do for many years. He did not think the discussion was at all in keepinf with tho dignity of Parliament. The Hon. W. W." McC.irdle pointed out that the fact that Bellamy's now paid its way did not indicate that more liquor was drunk: the was due to the management. It had, he said, been rumoured that for years some members never paid their scores. Tho Hon. T. K. Macdounkl: It is not true. The Hon. Captain Baillio said tfiat having ventilated the matter, he would ask leave to withdraw his motion, and leave was given accordingly.