TRADE TOPICS.

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

TRADE TOPICS.

A statement was made at a meeting of tobacconists in Christchurch last week, that forty-four rhillion cigarettes were now imported annually. Thirty-seven millions of these were of brands controlled by the American Tobacco Trust, and the remaining seven millions came from the great English house of Wills. While a number of cases of Wolff’s Schnapps, which arrived from Sydney by the Elingamite on Monday, were being examined by the Customs’ officers, it was found that from each case one bottle ot spirit had been abstracted. The cases were so cleverly closed again that there were no external marks to show that the pilfering had been going on. Other cases of spirits had three or four flasks removed. This had evidently been done in the London docks or on the voyage out. A short time back’a number of the hotels in Echuca, Victoria, were closed on a local option vote, and heavy compensation was paid. Now a new trouble has sprung up, which bids fair to set the straight-out prohibits nists and moderate temperates by the ears, and may bring about, a coalition between the remaining licensed victuallers and the teetotal party. Three of the persons- compensated have applied for colonial wine licenses, and these applications are being strenuously opposed by both the prohibitionists and the remaining licensed victuallers. At the inquest held on the Royal Oak Hotel fire in Wellington Mr G. E. Smith, inspector of works in connection with the Public Works Department, said he had examined the remains of the fire, and was satisfied as to its cause. In the kitchen he found that the flue connecting the hot plate with the chimney and range was faulty in construction. The casing of the chimney near the hot plate and flue was made of wood, and the charred remains of the stud could be seen there still. This stud extended to the ceiling, and also touched the flue. It appeared to him that the flame must have been escaping from the hot-plate flue, and communicating with the stud. He thought the fire had been smouldering.there for a considerable time.

Pattison’s whisky firm has suspended payment. It is undergoing reconstruction. Both Inspector Hickson and Inspector Emerson have been retired from the police force on the grounds of age and infirmity. The latter is seriously ill, and his condition is causing his friends considerable anxiety. The Commercial Hotel at Woodville, which was recently burned down, was insured as follows : —Stock and furniture, £4OO, South British ; £4OO, Northern Queensland ; building, £lOOO, North German.

John Fuller says he can’t understand what all this talk is about the Exhibition bar, considering that his customers drink up all the gingerbeer, lemon squashes, and other cooling necessaries that he can supply. He claims that although the crowd at his place is at times almost suffocating, it always manages to find satisfaction at his bar.

The temperance bodies of South Australia recently had a general conference in Adelaide on the liquor question. The sum. total of their labors resulted in a recommendation to excise the “ bona fide traveller ” and “ lodger ” provisions from the Licensed Victuallers’ Act. Last year they wanted to excise the barmaid, but that charming institution rises superior to such attacks.

Probably one of the most popular hotels in the district in which it is situated is the Kaihu Hotel, at Dargaville, conducted by Mr Powell. The best brands of wines and spirits are kept, and there is ample stabling accommodation, sample rooms for commercial travellers, and private sitting rooms, bathrooms, billiard room, etc., for guests. When Lord Glasgow was Governor of New Zealand he spent some time at this hotel, and expressed, through his private secretary, his entire satisfaction at the accommodation afforded him.

At the sale of privileges for the forthcoming Aucklahd Racing Meeting held by Messrs Churton & Co. on Friday last, the following prices were realised :—The Grandstand Booth was sold to Mr S: C. Caulton, of the St. Helier’s Bay Hotel, for £245 ; the Lean-to Bar to Mr A. R. Dunn, of the Market Hotel, for £230 ; the No, 1 Booth to Mr Donovan, late of the Star and Garter Hotel, for £150; the No. 2 Booth to Mr O’Connor, of the Victoria Hotel, for £101; the No. 3 Booth to the same gentleman for £Bl , and the No. 4 Booth to Mr P. Purcell, of the Newton Hotel, for £B6.

Messrs Dwan Bros., hotel brokers, Willis Street, Wellington, report having sold on behalf of the Government Life Insurance Department the freehold of the Criterion Hotel, Blenheim, which is the leading hotel in that town, to a Wellington speculator ; Mr Robert Seymour’s interest in the Club Hotel, Pahiatua, to Mr Edwin Hodren, late of Wanganui ; on behalf of the executors in the estate of the late Mr Kater, Kater’s Hotel and Princess Theatre, Reefton, to Mr Thomas Reseigh, late of the Princess Hotel, Molesworth Street, Wellington ; Mr Simon Glogoski’s interest in the Bunnythorpe Hotel, Bunnythorpe, to Mr James Dillon, late of the Masonic Hotel, Palmerston North; Mrs Annie Burnett’s interest in the Empire Hotel, Palmerston North, to Mr Edward Sherratt, late of Manukau; Mr Thomas Sidey’s interest in the Levin Hotel, Levin, to Mr D. Hannaum, late of Stafford, West Coast ; Mr James Butler’s interest in the Provincial Hotel, Upper Hutt, to Mr Florence O’Leary, formerly of the poilice force; also Mr Enoch Crosby’s interest in the Makuri Hotel, Makuri, to Mr William Redmond, late of the Queen’s Hotel, Masterton.

The Melbourne Sportsman says : —“A mining and industrial exhibition has been opened in Auckland, and is likely to prove a failure through the refusal of the court to grant a publican’s license for a bar on thejpremises. The executive committee decided, as a matter of course, that such a privilege would be allowed. The only concession granted was a wine license for seven days. Reports say that the attendance is already far below expectations, and financial failure may be predicted. Few public movements are successful without the stimulating influence of whisky.” Well, we are not quite so bad as all that. We think that the Exhibition may just be able to sqeeze through and partially pay its way without the aid of a bar. Of course that would be an impossibility in Melbourne, but there is a good deal of the camel about the New Zealander, -and-by taking in a good supply before entering the Exhibition grounds and making occasional trips to adjacent pubs, he may be able to stand the unwonted strain. Of course if there had been a bar, undoubtedly the Exhibition would have proved a modern Golconda.

We have received the following clipping from Messrs M. Moss and Co. : —“The retailing of adulterated spirits out of bottles bearing the labels of well accredited liquors is to be greatly deplored, and it is with satisfaction we note that the proprietors of that well and favorably known stimulant—Wolfe’s Schnapps—are endeavouring to put a stop to the fraud in connection with their liquor. During the month proceedings have been takeu under the “ Public Health Act’’ against 26 hotelkeepers, the courts imposing fines and costs to the extent of £l60 —some of the defendants being fined £lO with £4 costs —which should' serve as a warning, as the maximum penalty under the Act is £2O for first offence, and for subsequent ones, £5O. We are given to understand that it is not intended to allow the matter to rest, but that samples are being procured from various parts of the colony, and hotelkeepers should therefore be prepared at auy moment to be informed that the liquor just sold is wanted for Government analysis. The purity of Wolfe’s Schnapps and its stimulating properties are too well known to make it necessary to enlarge upon here, and parchasers are advised to be sure and ask for Wolfe’s Schnapps,” and to refuse bottles of any cheap imitations against the sale of which the Supreme Courts of America, New South Wales, Victoria, aiid Queensland have granted perpetual injunctions.”

Mr C. H. Chavannes, the well-known pigeon shot and billiardist, is making large additions to his hotel at Wanganui. They will consist of three large sample rooms on the ground floor, and a number of parlours and bedrooms upstairs. With these improvements Chavannes’ Hotel will provide up-to-date accommodation of the most extensive character, and maintain its well-known reputation as one of the leading hotels on the coast.

The following, which will give the reader some idea how prohibitionists petitions are faked up, happened in the rather important town of St. Arnaud, Victoria, Australia. It seems that there was not one one colonial wine license in existence there. Knowing this a Mrs Hunter applied at the last annual licensing court for a wine license. An opposing petition from clergymen and fifty ratepayers was presented. Thereupon the Court fixed an area within which objections would be considered, and out of the fifty names on the list there were only four within the area. The area fixed by the Court was, of course, commensurate with the radius to which it was presumable trade would be done. We are pleased to record the fact that Mrs Hunter secured her license.

Judging from the press criticisms in Australia the police there are as liable to raise objections to the renewal of licenses as they are in New Zealand, and on equally as flimsy grounds. Considering that in Victoria about 4,000 licenses come under magisterial review at each annual meeting the refusals are very few, and the credit there, as here, is due not so much to the strict espionage of the police as to the desire on the part of the publicans to carry on their business in a strictly legitimate manner. Of course in the Australian colonies the Licensed Victuallers’ Associetions are well drilled and organised, and consequently their means of defence are the best available. As soon as the same spirit of unity obtains here, may each individual hotelkeeper find himself in a position of greater liberty, and not before.

We have heard a great, deal in New Zealand about so-called temperance drinks, and now that the summer weather is on us the prohibitionists will undoubtedly urge that thirst can be slaked and the proprieties observed by resorting to their use rather than to the alluring colonial beer that “breaks up homes and drives people to madness.” In view of this possible argument we would like to call the attention of those who may be induced to linger where * the temperance drink lurks to the following:—“ The New South Wales Collector of Excise has issued a warning to manufacturers of temperance (?) drinks, and inquiry shows that most of them contain more than 2 per cent, of alcohol, 2 per cent, being the limit. Inspectors are now being sent round, and prosecutions will follow. Some hop beer analysed contained 5 per cent, of alcohol, or as much as heavy colonial beer." Now we begin to understand something about the kind of stimulant our prohibitionist lecturers are wont to dawdle with, and possibly it might pay to analyse some of Tommy Taylor’s plum wine.

The improvements which have recently been made in the Thistle Hotel (under the management of Mr Harry Ellison) were virtually completed this week, and to celebrate the event several members of the Trade, the Press, and' the architect and builder (Messrs Mahoney and Grandison respectively), were present to enjoy Mr Ellison’s hospitality. The party took a look over the house, which has certainly been vastly • improved. The old private bar has been transformed into a well ventilated and lighted diningroom, while a new private bar has been artistically fitted up. Instead of the narrow entrance which previously obtained, there are now two broad entrances, both from Darby Street and Queen Street, the latter flanked by an excellent entresoal. The accommodation has been enlarged, and at present twenty guests can be comfortably and conveniently housed. The billiard-room, which was always a feature at the Thistle Hotel, has been thoroughly renovated, new cloths put on the tables, and extra light afforded. The room as, of yore is under the control of Mr Carrigan. One point we would particularly wish to call attention to, and that is the improved lavatory arrangements After inspecting the premises the party returned to the commercial room, a large, airy, and well lighted apartment, and drank a few bottles of wine to Mr Ellison’s health and future success. In thanking those present, Mr Ellison said that he had put forth his utmost endeavor to raise the tone of the hotel, and that his object was to place it in the front rank of Queen Street Hotels. He had had a long experience, having been a publican twenty years ago, when licensed victuallers who conducted themselves properly were recognised as reputable members of the community. He regretted that at present there was a tendency to look down on hotelkeepers, almost as though they were pariahs j but he was assured of the fact that it was only . necessary for the members of the Trade to work in unison, to support one another, and to insist upon the respect due to them.as legitimate tradesmen, for them to secure the recognition that was their right. After mutual congratulations the party broke up. Most of the thirsty public are acquainted with our subject in this issue, and if they are not, well, it’s their misfortune — She’s a big upstanding lassie. With blue eyes and bonny hair, And she knows by name each chappie Who drops in to liquor there. For it’s “ Halloa ! Dick or Harry,” Or “ How are you, Mr Brown ? ” Or, perhaps, “ Fine morning, Captain ; Has your ship just come to town ! ” And we all give back her greeting In a pleased, familiar way, With a “ Glad to see you, Katie; How’re you bobbing up to-day ?” For there’s something in this Heba Makes her popular with all, And the beer seems cooler, nice r, When she draws it at your call. Don’t you recognise.the lady ! You can spot her very soon, At the Clarendon in Auckland, Any summer afternoon. .