TRADE TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 349, 1 April 1897, Page 10

TRADE TOPICS.

The subject of our present portrait, Mr Simon Coombe, the proprietor of the British Hotel, Queen and Durham Streets, Auckland, was born in Tavistock, Devonshire, in the year 1847. At the age of nine years he was engaged in a coppermine, known as'the Well Friendship, and worked at the bottom of a shaft 1200 ft deep, doing the ordinary work of a boy learning to be a miner, for which he received the munificent sum of eisiht shillings per month. He was employed in this mine for nine consecutive years, and during this period his wages rose to £2 15s per month. Leaving the mine he went to Cumberland, in the North of England, where he obtained employment in the Hot Borough Ironmine, in which he remained three years working as an ordinary miner on a contract taken by himself and mates. Having, by strict economy, saved a little money, Mr Coombe determined to emigrate, and choose the State of Massachussets, America, as his destination. On arrival there he was engaged for a period of nine months in a railway tunnel blasting solid rock, which was operated upon by drilling machines. On the completion of this work he went to Canady, where he remained for only a little time, and from there he went across the Panama Isthmus to San Francisco. From ’Fisco he went.to Virginia City, State of Navada, where he was employed for two years and a half in the

silver mines, receiving as wages 4 dollars per dayStarting from New York Mr Coombe had a mate named Thos. Lattey, who accompanied him right through to Navada, where the friends separated, and it was a very fortunate thing for Mr Coombe they did so, for poor Lattey was smothered, with forty-seven others, in a fire which took place in the Crown Point Silver Mine. About the year 1870 Mr Coombe determined to visit this colony, and consequently lefn by train for ’Frisco, where he shipped in a steamer for New Zealand, and landed in Auckland as previously mentioned, viz., in 1871. He remained in Auckland for a short period, and then departed for the Thames Goldfield, where he soon obtained employment as underground manager in several prominent mines on that field. After discharging his duties in that capacity, to the entire satisfaction of his employers, he left the Thames for the City of Auckland, in the year 1880, with the good will and best wishes of all the men who had worked under him as well as all his other friends and associates. Ariiving in Auckland he determined to go into business for himself, and to fulfil that determination he leased the Foresters Arms Hotel, Albert Street, from Messrs Watson and Murray, and kept this hostelry for nine years. During the currency of his occupation of the Foresters Arms, Mr Coombe purchased the freehold of the hotel and premises, but, unfortunately for him, a virtuous (?) teetotal licensing committee was elected for the City of Auckland, who found in Mr Coombe a man of independence, and for this or some other reason unknown to Mr Coombe the committee refused to renew the license, and at one fell swoop robbed him of his hard-earned savings, which he estimates at over £2OOO sterling. We may state that during his occupancy of the above mentioned hotel Mr Coombe paid a visit to the land of his birth, via Canada, where he has wealthy and influential relations. After spending a few months in Eng-

land he returned to Auckland by way of America. Arriving in Auckland he became the proprietor of the Thames Hotel, Queen Street Wharf, one of the principal hotels in Aucklrnd, and by care and judgment, assisted by Mrs Coombe, he made the hotel a financial and general success. Occupying this house for five years and a half with satisfaction to all concerned, he left it and subsequently became the proprietor of the British Hotel, of which he is the present licensee. We are pleased to write that Mr Coombe has obtained a fair competency, acquired by strict attention to business and the exercise of his vast exnerience. In dealing with men and things he has not been selfish, and his judgment and sound common sense has been brought to bear with marked success in all his undertakings. Tn mining enterprise Mr Coombe has taken his full share, and his practical experience has caused him to be looked upon as an authority in these matters. If any of our readers, either inside or outside the city of Auckland, desire to obtain a good glass of liquor or a half hour’s amusing conversation we advise them to test the samples at the British Hotel, Auckland, and to make the acquaintance of tue well-known host, who is always designated “Si” Coombe by his friends and acquaintances.

Some very interesting cases affecting in one way or another the rights of hotelkeepers have recently been before the courts (reports the Caterer). The first we notice was a case tried in the Queen’s Bench Division, by way of appeal from the decision of the County Court judge at Brighton. The question raised here was both novel and important. A lady, after residing at the Hotel Metropole for ten-months, had been, as she described it, “ turned out” after receiving

notice, and claimed the right of a guest to remain so long as she conducted herself properly. No charge was made against the lady by the hotel management, but it appeared that she had complained as to people trying to blackmail her in London. The learned County Court judge decided that the hotel people had a right to get rid of a permanent guest after due notice, and this view was endorsed by Justices Wright and Bruce, who dismissed the appeal.

At Coromandel last week T. H. Bates, of Kennedy’s Bay, was charged on four separate counts with selling liquor without a license. Mr Shortland appeared for the police, and Mr Parr for the defendant. A fine of £5 on each charge was imposed, with costs, £6 Bs. James Corrigan, of Cabbage Bay, w-as asked to answer two charges of a similar nature, and he was fined £5 on each charge, with costs, £4 6s. Two charges against Mrs Corrigan and a lodger were wii hdrawn. The presiding magistrate intimated that in the event of other charges being brought before him he would increase the punishment.

Writing under the heading of “ The Licensing Fiasco” a writer in the Wairarapa Standard remarks :—The Wairarapa is gradually but surely obtaining an unenviable reputation, and must soon become known as a fine place to shy clear of. The political cliques that have been destroying our peace of mind ever since the glorious whopping they ob'ained at the last general election, are a disgrace to any civilised country. Hot words these, Mr Editor, but none the less deserved, as you would find out to your cost if you had the misfortune to claim Carterton as your home. Revengeful, under the sting of defeat, we have been boycotted in business, and ill begotten political influence has been brought to bear in several instances purely out of spite, without a semblance of our boasted Britisher’s fair play.

A veteran habitue of the training track raised a laugh against a publican out Flemington way (states the Melbourne Leader). The tout, who after ordering his drink, had let it stand wnile he cut up a pipe of tobacco, quietly observed, “ I say, old public house, if you’d like to sell a lot more beer than yer do, I’ll put yer up to a wrinkle.” “ Let’s have it quick and lively, old chap,” replied Boniface, “ business is awful dull.” “ Well,” responded the other, holding his measure under the nose of the publican, “fill yer arf pints up properly an’ yer’ll get through about 25 per cent, more tanglefoot than yer do, I’ll bet a dollar.”

The well-known Royal Hotel, Blackfriars, owned and run foi so many years by Sir Polydore de Keyser —a former Lord Mayor of London — has been successfully floated as a limited liability concern. According to the auditors’ certificate the profits of the Royal for the past three years have been £19,865, £22,750, and £21,678 respectively. The worthy knight, who it may not be generally known, is of Belgian nationality, takes in part purchase no less than £240,000 in hard cash —not bad business.

There have been all sorts of more or less illfounded, and occasionally absurd, rumours afloat about the Hotel Cecil having been taken over bodily by the English Government for the housing of guest in connection with the forthcoming “ Diamond Jubilee” celebrations. There is only, after all (states The Caterer), it seems, a remote substratum of truth for them all. The Colonial Premiere will be housed there during their sojourn in England, the Colonial Office having taken fourteen suites of rooms for the occasion. The shops in front of the west wing are to be demolished immediately, and a triumphal arch erected. For other visitors it is still on the tapis that a West-End hotel will be secured by the Government en bloc.

“ Herb” beer is sold as a temperance drink. Yet a specimen recently discovered at Sheffield, when five retailers were prosecuted by the Inland Revenue authorities, contained 10 4-sths per cent, of alcohol, or as much as Guinness’ stout contains, whilst London beer, as a rule, contains 9 per cent. What’s in a name ?

On the window of an inn in a Salopian village were once the following lines of wisdom : —

Who buys good land buys many stones, Who buys good beef buys many bones, Who buys good eggs buys many shells, Who buys good ale buys nothing else. The following indicates The Drinks of Different Nations. The Russ love brandy, Dutchmen beer, The Indian rum most mighty ; The Welshman sweet Me.theglin quaffs, The Irish aqua vital. The French extol the Orleans The Spaniard port and sherry ; The Engish none of these escape, For they with all make merry.