TRADE TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 515, 1 November 1900, Page 18

TRADE TOPICS.

Home shippers advise a still further rise in in the cost of bottled ales and stout, owing to the gradually increasing cost of materials.

lhe Irish distillers of grain whisky have announced an increase in the price of their product to the extent of a penny a gallon. The step has been rendered necessary owing to dearer coal, grain, and other materials. There was recently offered for public sale in London 200 hogsheads of claret and 30 hogsheads of brandy from the vineyards of Palestine The vines which ■ produced these interesting parcels were planted fifteen years ago in the Holy Land with cuttings from the estates of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, and the wine which they yielded has been treated in the approved French fashion. If this first consignment should meet with favour on the London market larger shipments will follow. When the Licensing Bill was br<-‘. ght before the House, Mr McLachlan, member for Ashburton, said that the Referendum Bill is perfectly well understood by the House. There is a good deal of the “ heathen Chinee ” in the Licensing Bill. It is all grab. There is no desire on the part of the country, except the publicans, for the Premier to make any concessions to the people who are concerned in getting all this extension of time. But what will be the result ? The brewer or publican who has got the lease of a good going concern, and who is in, a lucrative position, will sell out to someone else, and will retire to a farm or start trotting horses in Canterbury or to some place where he can make an easy and respectable living, and as easy and respectable a living as keeping a publichouse. You must either have trotting horses or a public house to be able to put on your best clothes every day. The following is from the London L.V. Gazette Cheek! “You want your license renewed ?” said Sir Thomas Hughes, the Chairman of the Liverpool Bench, to an applicant at the Licensing Sessions. “ Yes, Your Worship.” “ How many previous convictions, Mr Clerk ?” The Clerk: “None.” Police: “The applicant is a very deserving object, Your Worship ; he has occupied the same premises for thirty years past; he has a clean record, and he gives the police every assistance in the discharge of their onerous duties.” The Bench (to applicant): “ Very well, you can pass this time ; but mind, be careful in future.” Careful of what, I should like to know? Not to give the police every assistance in the discharge of their duties ? Really, some of our licensing magistrates are past praying for.

The Religious Order of Carthusian Monks is of ancient origin. It was founded by St Bruno, a German, in 1084, near Chartreuse, about fourteen miles north of Glenoble, France He, accompanied by six associates, fled to this mountainous region to escape disagreeable church practices, as well as the vanities and temptations of the world. They became in reality hermits, devoting their time to contemplation and literally labours. The order grew until there are now a number of stations throughout Europe. The head, however, has always been La Grand Chartreuse. The brothers held no intercourse with the outer world, depending upon themselves for food, raiment, medicine, and other necessities. The practice led to the concoction of many remedies, one of which has become famous as the widely-known Chartreuse of modern commerce. The kind, proportions and the method of combining the various herbs in its composition are the secret of manufacture. With the passage of time the “remedy” found its way beyond the walls of its home, gradually spreading until the demand was greater than the monks could supply. Outside help was necessary. One member of the order now superintends the manufacture and distribution, while the others devote their time to the purpose for whioh the brotherhood was founded.

During the September quarter the Customs duties collected in the colony totalled £577,737, compared with £563,815 for the same quarter, 1899. Excise duties amounted to £19,910, compared with £18,392 last September. During the September quarter the Customs duty collected on tea was £10,558, compared with £20,117 collected during the same quarter last year. The member ior Wairarapa, Mr Hornsby, stated in the House that he knew that in his part of the world, political rancour does not last twenty-four hours. In many instances he knew the bitterest opponents in Hawke’s Bay to shake hands after an election was over and forget it all; but in other parts of New Zealand political rancour is carried into everyday life. It is carried into every part of some people’s social life—even into the churches—and that the rancour lasts, and is just as rife at the end of the three years as on the day of the election. During the examination of witnesses in the recent investigations of the Licensing Commission in Queensland, one witness affirmed that in Charters Towers, there were night shifts in the mines, and that a number of the men lived in the hotels. These men must have something to eat and drink during the prohibited hours, which were from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. It was difficult for a hotelkeeper to discriminate between his lodgers and others who came in for a drink only. He also added that there was no sin in getting a drink, the sin was to abuse it.

Attempts are being to introduce the Russian natural beverage, “Kwass,” into Germany to supplant beer, and the campaign is being fostered by advocates of temperance, on the grounds of cheapness, power of assuaging thirst, and nonalcoholic character. It will, however, most probably be found that lager has occupied that citadel too long to be driven out by a liquor so impotent that the Russ who desires to attain to a condition of “ elevation ” is obliged to resort to “vodki” to accomplish his object. This he does with astonishing frequency, and if the taste for these two liquors be, as it would thus appear, complementary, then “reformers” would do well to pause and consider whether it is not better to endure the ills of lager than fly to those unknown induced by the consumption of “ kwass,” and its familiar spirit “ vodki.”

The Assessment of Licensed Houses.—A meeting of the assessment committee of the Holbeach Union (Lincolnshire) was held in August to hear appeals against the assessment of licensed houses in the union. The committee had had the licenses properly re-valued, with the result that many of the assessments bad been increased 50 per cent and some nearly 100 per cent. This re-valuation aroused the indignation of the licensed victuallers in the district, who protested against it as being unfair. There was a large number of appeals, but in nearly all cases the committee adhered to the increased assessments, and where a reduction was allowed, it was only to a slight extent It is understood that some of the appeals will be carried to the quarter sessions. Occasionally bur metropolitan magistrates display a sense of humour on the Bench Mr Plowden did so the other day at Marlboroughstreet, when, tor the life of him, he could not understand how a cabman could get drunk •on “old six.” “What is ‘old six?’” asked Mr Plowden. “ I am quite a baby in the policecourt,” he said, “ I never heard of such an expression.” Another incident in connection with the case was that the doctor had to procure a magnifying-glass to examine the pupils of the cabman’s eyes before he could tell whether he was drunk or sober. This is carrying drunk charges to a very fine point. “Baby magistrate,” as Mr Plowden admitted himself to be, he was quite equal to the next charge, when the prisoner, who admitted that he had been previously convicted of a similar offence, blurted forth, “Magistrates’ decisions are not always infalliable ” “No,” said Mr Plowden, “but this one is going to be. Ten shillings or seven days.”—“London L.V.G.” Our friends, the prohibitionists, have nominated candidates for president and vice-president of the United States, and will make a supreme effort to lead away an appreciable number of voters. To be sure, there is no fad or assumption so absurd but it finds some followers ; but the prohibition fanatics will not be able to influence more than a very small fraction of the total vote. In some close districts they may be able to influence the result in favour of one or the other of the leading parties, but that is the limit of their power. Their theories cannot stand the light of intelligent research or of liberal thought. Their only hope lies in throttling free thought and gaining converts to the medeeval doctrine of repression and restriction by the use of force. A well deserved rebuke to their assumption was administered recently by the Rev Dr Lyman Abbott, a man of broad culture and a recognised moral teacher. In an address at the People’s Institute in New York, the doctor said:—“There are also extremists now, who make a distinction between playing cards and playing dominoes, between the theatre and a waxwork show. There are men who drink coffee and eat pies until their complexions are yellow and pasty, and think they are temperate because they do not drink beer. Jesus Christ did not make these distinctions. He lived as a man among men, and He began His life by making wine to add to the festivities. He never declined invitations to feast, but went to all, to the poor as well as the rich. He took the things of life and enjoyed them, and what He did He advised others to do, and He made use of festivities to illustrate the Kingdom of God. He was not ascetic. His disciples told the believers that they were free men.” Such sentiments are not understood by the prohibitionist. He accepts all the teachings of Jesus except those whioh run counter to the new commandment which he has inserted in his version of the decalogue : ‘ * Thou shalt not allow thy neighbour to drink anything containing alcohol.” In fact, he makes this the chief commandment, and marvels that all good men do not rally to his standard.—“ Western Brewer.”

There has been a remarkable gain in the consumption of home-made spirits, according to a London market report. The first six months of this year shows an increase of 1,524,741 gallons.

At the Paris Exhibition, the jury who were judging the exhibits of wines, very properly refused to taste wines, such as port, sherry and sauterne, without the label of origin.

It was said in the House that in America and other places, a system is adopted of using a small photograph, and when an electoral right is taken out, the Registrar signs the back of the photograph.

A remarkable fact in connection with the great falling off in the French wine trade, is that the Australian wine trade shows an increase, the increase for the first seven months of this year being 5223 gallons.

Mr P. Dover has bought out Mr Joe Cody 8 interests in the new Criterion Hotel, and Mrs Kemp has taken over the Railway Hotel, Turakina, from Mr Dover, who should do well in Wanganui, where he is well-known. * In the Old Country the addition of water to beer is an offence against the Revenue with very serious consequences, the penalties being £5O and forfeiture of the liquor and vessels, and also liability to endorsement of license. Advices by the last San Francisco mail report that the wine trade still continues dull. The most marked decline being experienced in French wines. This may be somewhat attributable to the feeling of resentment shown by some classes to the attitude of the French during the early stages of the Boer war. Prospects of the vintage throughout the Continent are extremely favourible, both as to quality and quantity. Mr A. G. Bishop, proprietor of the Red House Hotel, New Plymouth, has a business notice in this issue. This popular house has been entirely rebuilt and refurnished, and is now replete with all modern conveniences. Sporting men are reminded that the hotel is close to the course, and for the convenience of owners and trainers, Mr Bishop has had eight loose boxes and other conveniences erected.

As we will have in time, no doubt, the diplomas and medals gamed at the Paris Exhibition, put forward as a recommendation for the quality of wines and spirits, it is interesting to learn that at this early date, ,the Exhibition medals and awards are looked upon by the superior members in the Trade, as being absolutely worthless, since there is nothing to prevent exhibitors sending in under their own labels, wines and spirits purchased from other makers.

During the late sitting of the House, a petition was presented by Mr E. C. Mouldey, of Christchurch, praying that the licensing law be so amended as to allow New Zealand-made wines to be sold in smaller quantities than two gallons. The Committee recommended that the question be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, with the view of provision being made for the issue of licenses for the eale of New Zealand wines in the Licensing Bill.

“lg a publican responsible for the act of his wife?” This was the question which dame before the stipendiary at the Cardiff Police Court the other day, when Edward Chapple, landlord of the Royal Glamorganshire Inn, was charged with supplying a constable with drink while on duty. As a matter qf fact it was his wife who supplied the drink. Strange as it may appear, according to the general rule of law, a master is not criminally responsible for the acts of his servants or agents, but under the Licensing Acts a licensed person is, primafacie, criminally responsible for the acts of those to whom he delegates his authority wholly or in part, and also for acts which he with knowledge, actual or constructive, does, permits, or suffers. Hence, if Chapple knew that his wife gave the policeconstable the beer, and permitted it, he would bailable. Also, even if defendant had no actual knowledge of the transaction, he would be liable if he had constructive knowledge, i.e., if he con ■ nived at the transaction, or if it took place in consequence of his negligent supervision of the premises. It was not contended, and there was no evidence that Chapple had actual knowledge of the transaction, and there was no circumstance from whioh it could be inferred that he had constructive evidence. Accordingly the magistrate found as a fact that he had no knowledge whatever of the transaction.

Our readers will remember reading in the cable messages a few weeks ago of the sad fate of the barque Embleton, which was cut in two* by the liner Campania, during a fog in the Irish Channel. The following extract from a home paper throws some light as to what became of a. portion of the vessel’s cargo:—“Exciting timer have been expeiienced on the coast of Walesduring the past few days. Consequent upon the bad weather of last week Carnavon Bay has been strewn with a quantity of wreckage of all descriptions. In the quiet neighbourhood of Nevin, Portdinallsen, Porthysgadan, Carreg-y-llam, and Abergeirch, small fishing hamlets, far from the railways and the haunts of civilisation, numbers of whisky casks were cast ashore. The natives were not long before commandeering the precious liquid, which, of course, was a good deal overproof, and the inevitable result followed. The coastguard made a thorough search of the neighbourhood, and the result was that 26casks of whisky were found hidden or buried.. In one honse an illiterate old woman gave the officers a good deal of trouble. It was known that she had smuggled a small cask near Carreg - y• Ham, and when the officers visited her lonesome abode, not far from Nant Gwytheyrn (Voltigern’s Valley), and the most inaccessible glen in Wales, the old dame told them that the cask was worth £4O, and she would not give it up unless that amount was forthcoming. Mr-Mason-Cumberland, the chief officer at Carnavon, however, soon brought her to her senses, when, he told her that she might get 40 * months. Several cases of beer and some felting have alsobeen discovered, and a life-buoy with the nameEmbleton, and it is believed that „this is thewreckage of that ill-fated ship.”