NO LIQUOR LICENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22936, 14 January 1938, Page 10

NO LIQUOR LICENCES

INVERCARGILL'S POSITION TREATMENT OF HOTEL GUESTS ENGLISH VISITOR'S CRITICISM [by telegraph —OWN CORRESPONDENT] INVERCARGILL; Thursday The absence of liquor licences in Invercargill was deplored by Mr. Ernest E. Sharp, of London, a director of Venner Time Switches, Limited (England), who, with Mrs. Sharp, is at present visiting Invercargill. He described the position as "a disgusting way to treat guests" and said he was surprised and disappointed when he found that in Invercargill it was impossible to be served with a cocktail before dinner and that many people were forced to bring liquor into the city in a surreptitious manner.

"One wonders whether the people of Jnvercargill really want overseas visitors or not," said Mr. Sharp. "Most tourists are accustomed to taking a cocktail or sherry before dinner, but at Invercargill one is told that one cannot be served and 'soft' drinks or water are offered as substitutes.

"It seems a strange way for the city to treat guests," he added. "In fact it savours of unfriendliness. Southland will probably bo overlooked by numbers of overseas visitors who will avoid it simply because it is 'dry.' " Mr. Sharp said that a difficulty arose when one wanted to entertain. Was the host to offer his guests cordials or send for refreshments to hotels which farcically enough were just outside the city? This seemed a surreptitious method and the position was most disconcerting. "It is in the interests of a well conducted hotel to cater for its visitors, and surely a hotel could be relied on to do so properly?" continued Mr. Sharp? "No licence results in inevitable 'sly grogging' and one would have thought people had learnt a lesson by now.

"Teetotallers should realise that it is just as unpleasant for a person who appreciates a glass of wine to be forced to drink gassy artificial drinks as it would be for themselves if they were forced to drink wine."