Trade Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 693, 18 June 1903, Page 20

Trade Topics

Mr Charles Heidsieck compares the present season in the champagne district as very similar to that of 1892,- and hopes for a coming vintage equal in quality.

What is known as the British National Drink Bill, compiled by a well-known teetotaller, has been published for the year 1902, the total amount expended being put at £ 179,500,000. This is, of course (remarks a contemporary) a vast sum of money—not actual, but estimated only—and the basis on which it has been calculated has been raised this year, the change making a difference of no less bill is some two or three millions lower bill is some two or three miTions lower than in 1901. Nearly one-quarter of the total bill—that is, rather more, ttan *io millions sterling—is paid to the Government as taxation, and thus the real expenditure on alcoholic liquor does not at any rate exceed 66s per (lead. Is this really so very excessive ? The “ bill ” fcr any article of general consumption among a large population must amount to a huge «um. Thus 1 , if each one of us consumed a penny egg and a pennyworth of milk daily, the cost would reach a total of no less; than £130,000,000 a year. Again, our expenditure on fares for railway passengers and goods amounts to about 50s a head, or over £100,000,000 a year, though, of course, a very large percentage of the population hardly travel by rail at all.

A Parliamentary return issued recently slhows that in the year 1902, 16,430,4.1.4 gallons of wine were imported in casks, and 2,045,342 gallons in bottles. From Spain we got 4,117,394 gallons of wine. Portugal sent us 3,942,679 gallons. Only 68,262 gallons of Madiera found their way to the British market. From France we imported 3,611,565 gallons. Germany supplied 560,248 gallons. It will be a surprise to, many to learn that from Holland came 558,446 gallons; of wine. Of Italian wines, which are apparently growing in popularity, 329,365 gallons were sent to us. It is pleasing to see that Australia •ctands fourth on the list of imports, the quantity of wine coming from the colony being 988,391 gallons. —(English Exchange. )

A correspondent, who signs himself “ Unionist,” writes to the “ Gisborne Times “ Sir, —Does the closing of licensed houses at ten o’clock apply to gentlemen’s clubs as well as hotels ? Or it is only the work‘ng man that is to be deprived of his drink after ten ? I can do without my beer under ordinary circumstances, but if one gets to a meeting and gets dry figures to worry his brain all the evening, it is hard lines if he cannot get a shandy-gaff to quench his thirst, while his wealthy friend can get all he wants whenever he likes to ask for it.”

Sergeant Siddels, in his police report to the Licensing Committee at Gisborne, referred to Sunday trading in the following terms :—“ The fact cannot be disguised that there is too much Sunday drinking in town and country hotels. I cannot understand why certain licensees should lay themselves out to defy the law. It certainly is not fair to the trade as a whole, for those who keep the law and run their houses in a respectable manner have to suffer for the misdoings of their more unscrupulous fellow-licen-sees. In Gisborne there is not a shadow of an excuse for illegal trading, as I am certain that every licensee within the borough can keep to the law and do a

most profitable business. If one and all made up their minds to sell to none on a Sunday there would be no trouble, and. no person could be offended. Surely licensees do not think they can go on breaking the law with impunity. It isi a. difficult matter to catch a Sunday trader red-handed, and for that season some licensees persist in running the risk, but those who do, I am inclined to think, are unaware of the provisions contained in section 76 of the Licensing Act, 1881. That section provides that the Licensing Committee can, at any quarterly meeting, put an end to a license if the house is conducted in an improper manner.” Here again we have the attempt to make an assertion take the place of evidence, a course we have more than once known to be most unfair and improper.

“ It is reported in Sydney,” telegraphs “ The Age ” representative there, “ that tke leading brewery companies of New South Wales have / cornered ’ Tasmanian hops until 1906.” Mr Parker, manager of the Carlton Brewery, seen with regard to the matter yesterday, said he had not heard of it, "though there had been rumours to that effect for some time past These rumours had arisen through the efforts of the growers of Showbridge hops in Tasmania to make contracts for three or four years ahead. The Carlton Brewery, he says, at the beginning of the season purchased the crop of two of the best gardens in the island, and refused to buy ahead. Though New South Wales breweries may have “ cornered ” the hops of Tasmania for three or four years, it •will, he adds, make no difference to the Victorian breweries, because New Zealand and Californian hops can be bought at the same price. Then, Victorian hops have improved so much in quality of late years that the local breweries buy then! readily, Carlton Brewery having thid year taken more Victorian than Tasmanian hops. The growers in Victoria add Tasmania are, he says, making such good profits that there should soon be a large increase in the area under hops in this State.

The Dunedin “ Star ” says It will be remembered that at the meeting of the Licensing Committee on Monday the elective members emphatically expressed their intention to make the issue of each license conditional on the willingness of the applicant to restrict the sale of liquor to) a single bar. We learn, as the result of special inquiries, that all the applicants to whom this requisition practically applies—that is to say, all who have lately had more than one bar in their hotels — have decided to accept the decision without demur. Indeed, in some cases the hotelkeepers are not waiting (as they might) until July 1, but have already taken steps to make the necessary alterations. It is just as well that the matter should be settled in this willing, or at least acquiescent, fashion. What other course could the applicants adopt ? it will perhaps be asked. Probably none of a permanently effective kind; still, there were rumours that some sort of resistance might be attempted, in view of the Stipendiary Magistrate’s half-implied doubt as to the legality of the position taken up by his colleagues on the Licensing Bench. (But. section 63 of the Licensing Act appears to give the Committee almost unlimited powers of discretion ; and, besides, in the present state of public opinion, publicans would be ill-advised to adopt a pugnacious attitude towards the judicial representatives of the people.

The numerous alterations that have been made in the British Hotel, Queen street, conduce greatly to the convenience and comfort of customers. Mr Buxton has made the house the popular place of call during the intervals at His . Majesty’s Theatre, and deserves the large and increasing patronage bestowed on him.

A million gallons of whisky at the Ardgowan Distillery, Greenock, took fire. The burning spirit ran into the streets and sewers, destroying a flour mill and extending the fire to the lower quarters of the town. Escaping gas from a sewer exploded in a private house, seven persons being killed and six injured. The damage is estimated at £lOO,OOO.

The resources of the new Royal Hotel, Auckland, under the capable direction, of Host Percy Isaac, were in evidence OH Saturday night, on the occasion of the annual dinner of tlhe Journalists’ Institute. The spread was a most excellent one in all respect(, and the attendance was all that could be desired. The Royal may well claim to be one of the finest and best conducted houses in the colony.

At the annual meeting of the South Australian Vine Growers’ Association recently, the president’s report stated that the year’s vintage was a full one, the approximate being 2,500,b00 gallons. The exports for 902 represented 846,681 gallons, an increase of 281,955 gallons. Of this ijl* crease 206,165 gallons went to the United Kingdom, while the balance went nearly all in inter-State trade.