The Licensed Victuallers

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 608, 11 September 1902, Page 20

The Licensed Victuallers

TradeToplos At Oamutu last week, an old age pensioner was fined 20s and ordered to forfeit a month’s pension, and to pay 9s costs, for procuring liquor for a prohibited person. • • • • , In reference to the case in the Wellington Supreme Court, wherein the Chief Justice quashed the conviction against G. P. Payne, it is now stated that alternative information against Mr Payne will be proceeded with. • * * ♦ Mr and Mrs Alf. Coles, of the National Hotel, Wellington, who are retiring from business, received some handsome presents from their friends. • • • * Part of a policeman’s training was revealed to the public last week, when three men from the Wellington training depot were sent down to Dunedin, disj guised as returned troopers, where they . succeeded in obtaining liquor from unlicensed persons. Some people imagine 1-that it is unlawful forother than soldiers to wear the King’s uniform; evidently not. ».• • ♦ A transfer of the license of the Taratahi Hotel, Carterton, has been granted to Henry McManaway, from Maria ~ * Hay lock. 1 .•• • * A fire broke out in the Grosvenor Hotel, Wellington, recently. The fire brigade got the fire under, after about £5O damage had been done. * • • • The “ New Zealand Times ” says that an attempt is being made to get the various Trades and Labour Councils of New Zealand to pronounce in favour of the nationalisation of the liquor traffic. « * • « At the quarterly meeting of the Wellington Suburbs Licensing Committee, a . transfer of license of the White Horse Hotel, Ngahaurangafrom Thos. Furze to H. C. Green was granted. An application by Wm- Hume for a wholesale license in Petone was refused. • • • • A supposed intoxicated person was arrested in Napier last Thursday and locked up. It turned out that the man had apoplexy, and he died the following day. ••/ # • A fire broke out at th® back of the Waverley Hotel one evening last weak, and fortunately was discovered and sup■pressed before any serious dgmage waa done. The fire originated among some empty oases (and g portable coffee stall, on some waste ground behind the hotel. The quarterly meeting of the Ohinemuri Licensing Bench was ha have been held on the 3rd inst at Paeeroa, but owing to there not being a quorum present the meeting was ! adjourned to the 18th inst. , . . . ’'. . . . ~J : THE TIED HOUSE QUESTION. Last Thursday, the Wellington correspondent to the “New Zealand Herald,” telegraphed as follows to that paper:— “ The Select Committee of the Legislative Council appointed to consider the Hon J- Riggs’ Tied Houses Bill met this morning, when several Christchurch hotelkeepers were examined. The committee sat again in the evening, when Mr • Arthur Myers, of the Campbell and Ehrenfried Company, was examined at considerable length. Mr Moss Davis and Mr John Mowbray will be heard tomorrow. I understand that the Auckland brewers contend that the Auckland public are better catered for under the present

system than people are elsewhere under the free-house system. They say the class of hotels is superior in the North and that the accommodation provided is greater, there being an average of 33 rooms per hotel in the city of Auckland, each bedroom being provided with a fire escape. They say that the public can purchase their beer at a cheaper rate than elsewhere under the free system, the price being 3d and 4d per pint, as against 6d, and that the public can purchase any brands of wines and spirits at a lower price than at the majority of free hotels in other places. The brewers also contend that from the publicans’ standpoint the existing state of affairs is preferable, as it suits the legitimate hotelkeeper desirous of adopting hotelkeeping as a calling, but does not suit the transient publican who wishes to buy into a house, make a profit, and then sell out, but has no regard for the interest of the public ! They further say that the Auckland hotelkeeper can obtain his supplies of wines and spirits cheaper|from the Auckland merchants than free hotels can from merchants in other parts of the colony, and as a comparison they point to their price list, and that of the Wellington Merchants’ Association. Another point they: make is thatrat-the a man of limited means is not debarred from going into business. The number of changes in Auckland hotels during the last three years is claimed to show that in hotelkeeping must be satisfied with their position, as the changes have not averaged more than three per year during the period named.” THAMES LICENSING MEETING. The quarterly meeting of the Committee for the above district was held at the Thames last Friday, Mr R. S. Bush presiding. Transfers were granted from J. R. Cross to W. E. McKay for the Exchange Hotel, Thames, and from Charles M. McFarlane to Thomas Anderson, for the Digger’s Rest Hotel, Coromandel. The renewal of the license of the Central (formerly Kapanga Arms) Hotel, at Coromandel, which had been adjourned from the annual meeting, was granted, subject to the area of the allotment on which the hotel stands being increased before the next meeting of the Committee. AN UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR. Word comes from Napier of the death of a man named C. L. Hoffman, a piano tuner. It appears from the telegraphic account that the unfortunate man was picked up on the Beach Road, Napier, last Thursday, in an unconscious condidition, which condition, it was concluded, arose from the effects of drink, and he was removed to the lock-up. Later on his condition caused apprehension, and a doctor was called in, who pronounced the man to be suffering from apoplexy. He was at once removed to his home, where he died late on Friday night. From the evidence adduced at the inquest, it appears the deceased was found on the road on the afternoon of his arrest with his bicycle beside him. An attempt was made to place him on the bicycle again, but he feli off, striking his head against a stone. The jury found that deceased came by his death through a fall on the road, causing a fracture of the skull. TRAVELLING TRAVELLERSIn a Wellington appeal case recently, the Chief Justice made some remarks t< l the effect that “ a publican who chooses to supply drink to firemen on ships, on the ground that they are bona fide travellers, will probably find himself in trouble; a man belonging to a ship is on board hithouse, is in his own home, and does not come within the description of a bona fide traveller.” This, of course, is only another phase of the much-vexed question,

and no doubt will stand a deal of arguing around. A fireman, for instance, may Have his home in the suburbs of Auckland, his ship can in no sense of the word be deemed his house, it is purely and simply his place of work. According to the plain reading of the Act, a traveller is one who has slept away from the place he seeks refreshment at, three miles or more, the proceeding night. Now this new phase would prohibit the instanced fireman, should he arrive in Auckland on a Sunday morning, though the place' of his previous night’s rest was some scores of miles away, from procuring any 'refreshment. He may be ever so thirsty on his way home to the suburbs, or inay physically be in need of refreshment,; but he must not have it, because his plate of rest has come with him. It certainly appears rather hard lines. AUCKLANDERS. PLEASE NOTE. The “ London L.V. Gazette ” reports : —“ That the Isle of Man at this time of the year is no place for teetotal spouters is proved by an incident which occurred at Douglas the other day. Whether this particular temperance reformer was young or old is not stated, but he was evidently bold of speech, and was not afraid to give voice to his feelings. Amongst other things he said that ‘if Douglas Bay were full of beer, Manx people would rush in and drink it.’ 'His audience must have been composed largely of residents, for scarcely had the words been uttered ere he was knocked down and narrowly escaped a ducking. The result of this scrimmage was a charge of assault at the Douglas Petty Sessions, but the magistrates dismissed the case with’costs. Temperance lecturers should take warning, and avoid the beach at Douglas/’ DE WET AND SCOTCH WHISKY. De Wet is possessed of humour, says a Soutn African correspondent, writing to a contemporary. One of the leading camp officials in a certain refugee camp is a Scotsman, who, during the dinner took occasion, in offering the general a drink, to say he must have got a fait amount of whisky among his captured convoys. De Wet was much amused at this, gnd on referring to it subsequently, said that before attacking a convoy he made inquiries if they were guarded by Scotsmen. If this were so, he further inquired if it contained any whisky. Ifl the second condition accompanied the first he always gave the convoy a wide berth, because he knew the beggars; would fight to the last man ! The Scotsman replied that he would write home and inform his countryman of this important element in scouting and defensive wan—a remark whic hsent De Wet into roars of laughter. PARNELL LICENSING MEETING. The committee of this district held a quarterly sitting on the morning, of the 3rd inst., in the Parnell Borough Council Chambers, Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M., was in the chair, and there were also present Messrs W. Edgerly, J. Lumpkin, J. McCabe and J. McColl. A transfer of the license of the Windsor Castle Hotel, Parnell, was granted to Andrew William Creamer from Patrick Gleeson. The issue of a duplicate license for this hotel was consented to, the former license issued in June having been stolen with other papers at the recent burglary. MR GEORGE ADAMS. This gentleman, who is famous as being the conductor of the sweeps run under the name of Tattersail, contends that the Tasmanian farmer will benefit greatly by his continuing, to reside and carry on his money-making business,, at Hobart. As previously reported, he has started a brewery, and for it buys up the farmer’s barley. Explaining to the Hobart .“Mercury ” he said : “I have given my word to buy as mluch barley as the farmers like to grow, not to mention hops, and even should the brewery not turn out- profitable, I shall still want the barley for malt export.” CHARGES DISMISSED. At the Paeroa Police Court on the 3rd inst., before Mr R. S. Bush, S.M., Mrs •Kate Ryan, licensee of the Tramway Hotel at Karangaßake, was, on the information of Constable Moffatt, charged with selling and exposing liquors for sale after the hour of closing on the ni'ht of Aug. 22. Mr x Clendon appeared for defendant, and pleaded not guilty. Evidence was adduced to the effect that on the night in question Mr Darrow, partner in the busi- •

ness, and manager for Mrs Ryan (who w®a away at the time), had been the »um of £lO won by him as a result of a on the Grand * National and that he had invited the person paying him, the money and three others to hgva & drink. He had treated the nwn. No money whatever was exchangedc th® liquor. The witnesses for the prowcution corroborated each other that DO sale had taken place.; The infoimatiow were diamirawd.