THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 439, 22 December 1898, Page 18

THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ ASSOCIATION.

That there is room for the expansion of the present Licensed Victuallers’ Association every one connected with the “trade” is willing to admit. Thanks to the earnest efforts of the members of the committee, what was virtually a corpse has been galvanised into active life, and, once enlivened, it is rapidly growing and making up for its long hybernation. At present the membership of the association is not sufficiently extended—it embraces the city proper, but does not include the adjacent townships. In view of this outlying districts and the comparatively we are most pleased to be made aware of the fact that a number of the licensed victuallers in the Ohinemuri county are willing and ready to join, but we regret to add that they have not as yet been approached. To make the association a complete body, every publican throughout the North Island should be a member, and, more, Southern associations should be encouraged to affiliate. The solidarity of the licensed victuallers in the North Island means the organisation of a body that, by its harmony and strength, must necessarily force the authorities to render justice and fair dealing to each individual member. Never could the trite proverb, “ Unity is strength,” apply more forcibly than in the case of the licensed victuallers. At present they are either too apathetic or too careless to recognise the fact that in concerted action is their only hope of actual existence in the years to come. 1899 . or,, at the latest, 1900 will see another bitter fight between the “ trade” 'and the prohibitionists, and, unless we are trained and prepared, with what chance of success can we hope to accept the gage of battle ? Past experience tells us that the “ trade” are too willing to adopt the laissez fairs attitude—in plain English, to let things slide —unless its members fear an imminent attack ; then there is a hurrying and scurrying to fight an uphill game with odds against us That we have won in the past has been more through good luck than good management. These spasmodic attempts to retain privileges that are the just due of a portion of the community who pay more into the Consolidated Revenue than any other class, are not only exhausting, both financially and otherwise, but they are illogical and unbusinesslike. What we-really want is a recognition by every licensed victualler that his interests, his very existence, as a legitimate trader is synonomous with those of his confreres, and that an injury or injustice meted out to the smallest or poorest member of the “ trade” affects virtually the entire body. > When this is thoroughly understood, members of the “ trade” will comprehend that in unity of purpose and action alone lies the conservation of their interests, and the sooner that that idea is well grounded in every publican’s brain the better for them all. At present the “ trade” is fighting for bare existence, for privileges that should be freely accorded them as' a heavily-taxed portion of the community. They are subject to restrictions and enquiries that would irritate a ticket-of leave man, and yet they bow to the rod and put up with these indignities, when, if once they worked in unison—not for one election, but for all time—their power would soon be made manifest, and, instead of being suppliants, they would have a right to

demand what we advisedly say is nothing more nor less than justice, and a free right (to ply their occupation unmolested by officious police espionage and irritating persecution. Let the Licensed Victuallers’ Association wake up, employ energetic officials, and place before every man engaged in the hotel business the absolute necessity of his taking an active interest in “trade” affairs and working shoulder to shoulder with those interested in business in the line. There is a great future for the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, provided it embraces the entire “ trade and that each individual unit is willing to work for the good of the whole and, as a logical sequence, for himself as well.