MR PRATT AGREES TO BEER DEBATE: OWN TERMS WANTED

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1947, Page 2

MR PRATT AGREES TO BEER DEBATE: OWN TERMS WANTED

The secretary of the West Coast Trades Council, Mr T. _ Pratt, has agreed to meet a Hokitikti hotelkeeper, Mr E. L. McKeon, in a public debate on the. beer boycott and prices, but on his own conditions. Mr McKeon on Monday issued a challenge to Mr Pratt. “Judging by the number of stipulations Mr McKeon makes, he is c ei “ tainly taking no chances with Tus cheque for £100” said Mr Pratt. Not being in the publican class financially—l’m just an ordinary wage-plug— I am unable to speculate a similar amount,” he added. “Nevertheless, it would give me great pleasure to debate with Mr McKeon with the audience as the judge, the stake to be the cost of running the debate —including my return fare to Hokitika. I couid n.ot agree to any limitation being placed on my remarks, nor do I ask Mr McKeon to place any limit on “I propose that the subject for debate be defined as—‘That the Increase in the Price of Beer to 7d is Justified, or alternatively, ‘That Beer Can be Sold Economically at 6d for 10 ozs. I am thereby giving Mr McKeon the choice of taking the affirmative or the negative. If Mr McKeon agrees to my prooosals, I suggest Monday night next as a suitable date for the debate,” concluded Mr Pratt. There have been no new developments in the beer boycott, which today commenced its third week, but it is reported that the Franz Joseph hotel, which up till today was retailing beer at the old price of 6d a glass, has adopted the new charge of 7d.