THE WINE TRADE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 238, 25 September 1911, Page 6

THE WINE TRADE.

GROWERS’ DEMANDS. Auckland, Sept. 23. A meeting of members of the New Zealand Viticultural Association was held this morning. Captain C. A. Young was in the chair, and there was a moderate attendance. The chairman read a draft of a circular which it was proposed to have printed anti widely distributed for general information. The document set forth that the Government had spent spent large sums of money in demonstration of the suitability of large areas of land in the Dominion tor wine-growing, and had encouraged settlers to take up land for the purpose. They asked, in pursuance of this policy, for suitable legislation for the protection of those legitimately engaged in the industry. 1' or

their part, the viticulturists undertook to produce only pure wine, with no addition of alcohol, chemicals, or foreign adulterants. They challenged analysis of their products, and were prepared to expel any member

who was found to ha»e added to his wine any of the substances mentioned. They reserved the right, however, to increase or decrease the proportion of pure grape-juice, and to add a proportion of pure grape sugar (a natural constituent) where such addition was necessary, under certain weather conditions, which raised the proportion of ac'd in the product. They submitted t’-M •’ good and wholesome wire, c >:d.".ini ig less than 16 per cent, of alcohol, could be made from the pure juice and grape sugar, as the pr<xerd t “te was not for dry wines, and won’ Ibe necessary to add a proportion of cane sugar, but th’s should not be termed an adulteration. The allegaf 'ons of the Prohibition party r e 'g”r<ii' g the sale of impure wine to gumd ggers ami Maoris in the N-rth < f Auckland they submitted remained unproved, and they also clamied that the free sale and use of pure wine tended not to mtc riper but to the public benefit. It was decided to adopt the c:''eu-

lar as reml, and to have 10,<i(i(» <-pies iirinted.

The chairman then re.d a pctit’on, which it was intended to present to Parliament, asking that the M ine Licensing Act, 1910, be pmcmh'd (a) so as to exempt absolutely New Zealand wines from the General Licensing Act. and further as may be sug-J gested ; (b) that protection and relief be granted to the grape growing and winemaking industry through the necessary legislation'. (,<') that tli£ N r ew Zealand Vit’cultural AssociAj tion being a duly-registered association using a duly-registered tradeI mark, such trade mark shall be limitled to members of the i under pcnaltiis'. (d) that it sl;oul®be’| lan indictable offence to add ,'or other deleterious compounds Ito I wine offered for public sale ; ■licenses be obtainable by pfflWlns j engaged in the manufacture -*nd'yale of wine .their premised all times accessible to pubV inspectors and analysts ; (f) that of such licenses be permitte*; to sell I wine bv retail in tfhv quanfcies. to I be drunk on the in boardinghouses, wine,i shops, or other licensed ; (g) : that the industry be i against the importation of 'grapes.

i pulp -or crude wine from abroach and ' that equal facilities and license for I the supply of wine to the public be i sanctioned by law. as was the case in ; Australia and all other civilised j countries of the world. I The petition was adopted, and it ] was decided to take steps to forward I it to Parliament during the present | session.