Miners Charter Bus To Cut-Price Hotel

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32210, 31 January 1970, Page 44

Miners Charter Bus To Cut-Price Hotel

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, January 30. Off-duty miners had the Railway Hotel, Otautau, virtually to themselves late this afternoon as they drank in the only privatelyowned hotel in Southland which sells beer at prices to suit them.

Miners were issued with 10 days pay today. Many made an early start, leaving Ohai and Nightcaps in their own cars and going 14 miles to the Railway, the only hotel exempt from their boycott.

Most returned home for tea about 6 p.m. and planned to go back to the hotel in the bus they have chartered to beat the breath test.

"It is going great,” said Mr J. Mountney, proprietor of the Railway Hotel, about 5 p.m. “They are all miners here, and there are more coming later.” The proprietor of the only other hotel in Otautau, Mr J. L Shine, declined to comment on a report that patrons of the Otautau Hotel were being drawn to the Railway by cheaper beer. Mr T. Taylor, owner of Taylors Hotel, at Ohai, one of those boycotted by the miners. said tonight that his hotel and the others in the town were quiet. “Things are calm.” he said. “It could be the calm before the storm.”

Mr Taylor, who is president of the Southland Hotel Association, denied reports that action against the Railway Hotel for lowering its beer prices had been proposed at

a meeting of the association on Thursday. The association did not propose to take any action against Mr Mountney, he said.

Mr Mountney stocked up today for the hordes of thirsty miners he expects. He ordered 450 gallons of beer on Thursday, and it was delivered today, relieving any fears he may have had about action by the breweries. He said he was readj’ if necessary to bring tankers down from the North Island.