Take-your-own wine sought

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33386, 19 November 1973, Page 21

Take-your-own wine sought

An amendment to the law to allow patrons of unlicensed restaurants to take their own wine to drink with dinner was advocated by Mr J. R. Milligan, a Christchurch barrister, to the Royal Commission on liquor. At present the drinking of liquor in unlicensed restaurants is permitted only between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mr Milligan said he would like to see patrons allowed to take their own wine to unlicensed restaurants at any time. A limit, such as the 11.30 p.m. limit imposed on licensed restaurants, could be made if this was thought desirable.

In support of his submission Mr Milligan said: “The selection of wine depends a great deal upon personal ; taste, and my experience has ibeen that wine lists do not ordinarily contain wines which I both like and am familiar with, thus the selection of wine at such a restaurant then often becomes a very chancy business. “The general pattern of licensed restaurants is to sell wine at a price considerably greater than that for which the same wine could be purchased in shops or hotels. “Ordinarily licensed restaurants cater to a clientele which is accustomed or resigned to paying comparatively high prices for comparatively elaborate meals,” he said.