CHOPS & CHANGES

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 512, 11 October 1900, Page 19

CHOPS & CHANGES

The building of the Whangarei Hotel is almost completed. Three honeymoon couples arriving in one day was the recent record of the Club Hotel, Dannevirke. f i. The Contract tdr the new bedrooms and ad---ditinns to the Kaikohe Hotel has been let to Mr W. J. Stevenson 6f this city. Mr Jack Russell, son of Mr J. W. Russell, of the Occidental Hotel, Auckland, is at present , in Dunedin, where he has gone to undergo his examination for dental surgeon. .Mr Newton Fairs, who is well-known on the West Coast, and also in Auckland, takes over the Ferry Hotel, Ohiwa, East Coast, from Mr W. J. Baker.

Mr Walter Dyer assumed possession of the Waiorongomai Hotel on the 3rd inst. Mr Dyer —is a popular man, and should do well in his new habitation. “You look uncommonly cheerful this morning, old fellow. What’s the matter?” “Oh, jolly. I’ve got a thirst on me I wouldn’t sell for a fortune 1” Mr J. J. Donovan, of the Aurora Hotel, has, I am glad to say. quite recovered from his recent indisposition. His hotel is a very popular resort for Mr Donovan has heaps of friends. Customs Officer (after searching trunk): “I thought you said you had only wearing apparel ? What are these ?” (pointing to some bottles of brandy). Tourist: “Oh, they are only my nightcaps.” The United Kingdom derives a larger proportion of National Revenue from the taxation of alcoholic beverages than any other country. The proportion being twice as much as in either France or Germany.

A Palmerston hotelkeeper, when charged with having supplied a prohibited person with liquor, gave as an excuse that there were so many prohibited persons in Palmerston North, that it was difficult to Know them all. He got the benefit of the doubt. From Adelaide it is reported that wine in the districts is becoming scarce, the increased demand, the small vintages, and prospects of trade with the consummation of Federation, all .having a strong tendency to harden prices.

The Barrapoort Hotel, situated about 12 miles from Boort in Victoria, was the scene of a very lively encounter on the night of September 23id. A masked armed man made his appearance, and after tying up the proprietor, and a couple of employees, helped himself to all the available cash, and left hurriedly, leaving no trace behind him.

The late Mr Moses McCarthy, licensee of the Cambridge Hotel, Wellington, who died recently, had been suffering from lung disease, which was the immediate cause of death. He was wellknown some years ago as an athlete in the southern parts of the colony. Mr McCarthy had resided in Wellington for about eight years. His remains were interred at Karori Cemetery.

A foreman bricklayer, trying to take a rise out of an Irish labourer, sent him to a publichouse for a round square. Pat went and obtained a gallon of beer in the foreman’s name, took back the beer, and went round the building, giving each-man a drink. The foreman, noticing this, asked him what he was doing. “ Shure,” says Pat, “ this is the round square yez sent me for. The be*er will just go round, and you must square it yourself on Saturday.”

Mr George Wrigley, the brewer and owner of Commercial Hotel, Tauranga has recently renovated his premises completely The painting, decorating, and finishing have been in competent hands, and the result is that the Commercial is now quite spick and span. The electric light has been installed throughout The cuisine at the Commercial is excellent, and as there is a nice billiard room it is an excellent place to stop at. Mr Desmond Grattan, traveller for Mr Arthur H. Nathan, has been the recipient of many handsome presents on the eve of his marriage to Miss Cotes, of Devonport. His fellow-employees took advantage of the occasion to express in a tangible form the esteem in which he is held by them. The presentation took the form of a beautiful silver tea and coffee service, suitably engraved, while the firm’s present to Mr Grattan consisted of a magnificent marble clock.

Following in the wake of Birmingham, the Cardiff publicans discussed the advisability of abolishing the “long pull,” and 114 of their ■number decided that on and after September Ist to adhere strictly to the Imperial standard measures in supplying their customers. All that is needed to bring about a reform in’ this direction is uniformity of action, and it may be hoped that the example of these 114 licensed victuallers of Cardiff will induce the Trade throughout Wales to follow suit.

When Theophilus Canby, who was in Buffalo, U.S.A, selling soap, found that he had to extend his trip to the West, he wired his wife as follows, giving the name of the railroad he was going on: ** Am off to Chicago on the Grand Trunk.” On his return to civilisation, he found Mrs Canby at her mother’s, the house broken up, and a chromo of himself that had decorated the parlour smashed with a poker. A tear-stained telegram -lay on the.bureau, reading: “Am off to Chicago on grand drunk.” Mr Canby’s suit against the telegraph company for alienating his -wife’s affections, it is said; will come up shortly.