THE POSITION OF HOTELKEEPERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3192, 17 September 1917, Page 6

THE POSITION OF HOTELKEEPERS

Sir,—ln view of tlio fact that tho Licensing BUI is to be presented to members of Parliament on Tuesday nexj, 1, like many other hotelkeepers throughout New- Zealand, am wondering if honourable members are going to remain silenl; and let our legitimate business be niched, from us bit by bit. ' • . Here is an instance of how we are) being driven to bankruptcy. Spirits,, owing to the increase in the cost of piwduction, freight, and two shillings pur gallon extra dut}', are costing us nineteen shillings and sixpenco per gallon,. or eighty-three per cent, moreothan iu, 1914, and now we have received a notice) from the local brewers, passing on_to us: the whole of the recent increase of beerduty imposed by the Government, plus; an additional, cightpence per hogshead. I may state that we hotelkeepera arethe only people carrying on business in the Dominion who have suftered silently and not raised our prices for refreshments. The same remark applies to tha boarding department of hotels. We are. aware that the public realise,-and a.vpreciate, this, and hope that members o| the House will.do likewise when the Btli is under discussion. • On Tuesday evening I expect tho samej old number of extremists on this question will be clamouring to get the nnaL knock-out punch at us in the shape of. demanding six o'clock closing, when, we, shall be gently stowed away until w<b recover consciousness about election tome.. I am sure there are sufficient members still left in the House to demand-the. repeal of the Anti-Shonhng Act, which makes respectable- citizens fee as if ther were criminals, and to protect the legitimate business of a class who are helpingin more ways than one to see the jar carried to a successful and speedy finish just as much as any otner section or trade in the community—l am, etc., P. J. GIOITIN. Gresham Hotel, September 10.