TRADE TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 333, 10 December 1896, Page 12

TRADE TOPICS.

Mr “ Bob” Allen, who died last week (states Spectator), was a member of “the trade,” of which that body] had every reason to be proud. He was a singularly kind-hearted man, and has left any number of friends behind him. There was something very sterling about Bob Allen. He was a thorough sport, and an enthusiastic bowler. His health had been failing for some time. He was but forty years of age. One of the oddest applications heard during the recent licensing sessions was that at Mold, for the revival of an off-beer licence in a country place, on the ground that it was a great convenience to the farmers to get beer for their cattle, in times of sickness. The alcoholic tastes of the animals seemed to have taken the counsel for the applicant somewhat by surprise, but the magistrates, having more to do with agriculture, were quite aware of it. Still, they refused to allow the poor cows the comfort of beer in their sickness.— Caterer and Hotelkeepers Gazette. George Bubear, the well-known professional sculler, has taken the White Hart Hotel at Barnes, England. At Prince Rangitsinghi’s banquet, Ernest Irroy’s champagne, vint. 1889, was the favourite wine. Mr A. G. Moody, the nephew of the wellknown evangelist, was manager of a Massachusetts hotel up to the present month, when the house was turned into a training school for Evangelists. Sometimes good bargains are made in buying and selling hotels. Recently, in England, Mr F. Ramsey purchased the Three Cups Hotel, Springfield, for £2,900. Two months afterwards he sold the hotel for £3,000. It is interesting to notice new developments in hotel advertising. Here is a specimen culled from the Times :— "DAU. —The Dowager Countess of Bantry can highly reA commend a PRIVATE HOTEL and PENSION kept by the widow and daughters of an English clergyman. Good position, great comfort and attention, good cuisine. Tnrms very moderate. Address Mrs , Villa , Pau, France.

Illicit traffic in liquor is said to be going on in the Transvaal. All houses that remain open in Johannesberg after nine o’clock at night have to get a permit. A few weeks since 278 persons left one New York hotel for Europe in a single day. This number would represent a turnover of about £5OO a day. Interviewed at Dunedin recently, Sir Robert Stout, in speaking of the temperance party at the election, declared that “ the trouble in the past had been that many men had declared themselves for Prohibition who had no sympathy whatever with the movement. They had declared themselves Prohibitionists simply to catch votes. The new London Waiters’ Union was formed on the 6th October, when a meeting was held under the presidency of Mr Vogel. The primary objects of the union are to obtain “ fair” wages for its members, the abolition of payment of fees to employers, and the suppression of the “tip” system. Several rather breezy speeches were made, and some House of Commons waiters stated that “the House was the biggest sweatingshop for waiters that exists in London.” “ That the postponement of the Liquor Bill has caused a more general easiness of feeling among the Trade generally in the Transvaal (says the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette} is strikingly shown by the following case. Some four weeks ago (October) a friend of ours, wishing to dispose of a first-class country hotel and bar, consulted a well-known firm of town agents on the subject. He was disappointed to hear that it was practically out of- the question to get anything like a decent sum for his place. Coming in again during the past week, however, the same agents informed him that not only could they find him a buyer, but in addition a buyer who would give a fair price.” In the colonies English beer is generally looked upon as the genuine article, and perhaps the only objection that has been taken to it is that it is a trifle heavy. However, in England it appears that some exception has been taken to its purity, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been at considerable pains to select a committee of experts to inquire into the matter. The terms of the reference to the committee are as follows : — To inquire into, and report npon, the questions whether legislation is required to prevent the use of deleterious substances in the manufacture of beer, and whether the materials of which beer may be composed can be defined by law without undue interference with the liberty of brewers to use any wholesome materials in brewing.

Mr Hutchinson at Dunedin :—“ I thoroughly believe in temperance —thoroughly believe in it —and I would do all in my power to assist in making temperate those weak-kneed individuals who cannot take a glass of beer without making beasts of themselves.—(Applause). I will do all in my power to advance temperance in a legitimate manner, but I believe that if we had Prohibition the last state of things would be worse than the first Where Prohibition has been in force the law has been repeatedly broken ; it has been the means of making people go into the witness box and perjure themselves ; it has made them have no respect for the law, and it has made them break it on every occasion they can. Such a law as that —a law which people have no compunction in breaking —has no right to be put on the Statute Book.” —(Applause.)

Although not lacking in public attention beer has of late fallen somewhat from its old-time post of honour. It is not, however (states The Caterer and Hotelkeepers' Gazette), by any means played out, for we read of a beer pilgrimage taking place in Germany under the approprite patronoge of St. Gambrinus. The pious votaries visit all the great brewin" centres from Munich to Pilsen. But for age and failing health, Prince Bismarck himself might have headed the procession singing a German version of Burns wellknown ballad “John Barleycorn.” St. Gambrinus was a mystical king of Flenders, who is credited with the invention of beer, and whose portrait in the act of drinking beer is to be seen in most of the German cafes, and the pilgrimage of St. Gambrinus has suggested similar tours in Great Britain. A cider tour, for instance, in the west country, or a whisky tour in Scotland. The latter would be very popular, and it might well be dedicated to St. Burns. How would a pilgrimage to St. Isitt suit New Zealanders ?