CITY WITHOUT LICENCES

Southland Times, Issue 23406, 13 January 1938, Page 4

CITY WITHOUT LICENCES

Visitor Unable To Have Liquor

“DISGUSTING WAY TO TREAT GUESTS”

TOURIST TOLD TO AVOID INVERCARGILL

The absence of liquor licences in Invercargill was deplored by Mr Ernest E. Sharp, of London, a director of Venner Time Switches Ltd. (England), who, with Mrs Sharp, is at present visiting Invercargill. In an interview last evening with The Southland Times Mr Sharp described the position as “a disgusting way to treat guests” and he 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 Invercargill 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; in fact, it savours of unfriendliness. Southland will probabl / be overlooked by numbers of overseas visitors who will avoid it simply because it is ‘dry’.” ALTERNATIVES FOR HOSTS' A difficulty arose when one wanted to entertain. Was a host to offer guests cordials or send /for refreshments to the hotels, which, farcically enough were just outside the city ? This, said Mr Sharp, seemed a surreptitious method and the position was most disconcerting. “It is in the interests of a wellconducted hotel to cater for its visitors and surely a hotel could be relied on to do so properly? No-licence results in inevitable ‘sly-grogging’ and one would have thought the people had learnt a lesson by now. Teetotallers should realize 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. TOLD TO AVOID CITY “In the north I was told by a friend to avoid Invercargill on my tour,” said Mr Sharp. “I was very keen, however, to, visit the south and any opinions failed to influence my intention. I am greatly impressed by the city—it is brighter than I expected—and I think the scenery of the province is really splendid, but I am disappointed at the lack' of hospitality to visitors and the apparent unwillingness of prohibitionists to allow others their right. It is definitely not encouraging to tourists and it seems a disgusting way to treat guests.” .