Trade Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 760, 29 September 1904, Page 23

Trade Topics

•"W Says an English exchange Although licensed victuallers are not much concerned with the controversy that is going on in connection with the continued manufacture in this country of so-called "foreign” wines, and the duty of the Government in regard to the same, it is quite clear that the public has a right to be protected against spurious imitations of well-known Continental brands. If a man asks for Bordeaux wines he has a right to expect that he is obtaining •the genuine article, and not a wine made in thia country from dried currants and raisins mixed with the cheapest classes of imported claret or Burgundy. Notwithstanding that important deputations

from the Wine and Spirit Association have waited upon successive Chancellors of the Exchequer in regard to the matter, Mr Austen Chamberlain professes that the Government has not sufficient information as to the truth of the allegations, and so far as the public is concerned he thinks the Merchandise Marks Act is a sufficient protection. It is nothing of the kind, as everyone in the Trade must admit, and it is the duty of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make full inquiry into the " allegations,” as he calls them, if only to protect the revenue.

In the St. George vineyard near Fresna, in California, there is the largest tun in use in the world. It is capable of holding 79,000 gallons of wine. The great tun? of Heidelberg was capable of holding 50,000 gallons, but has not been used since 1769. The St. George tun is built of native red wood of California. The timber was cut especially for it, and but one piece in ten would pass the required inspection,

as not a 1 not or a flaw was allowed. The wood was seasoned for two years before the cask was built up. Enough timber w r as used to erect a mansion, and two cartloads of steel were required for the hoops. The great tun starids 30 feet high and is 26 feet in diameter. There are three other tuns in the same vineyards, which are larger than the one at Heidelberg, though dwarfs compared w'ith this king of tuns. The St. George vineyards produces annually a quarter of a million, of gallons of wine.

We are assured that most Sydney hotels have both what are called “public” and “private” bars (says the “Tasmamian Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette”). All drinks in the “public” bars, even to whisky, brandy, schnapps, are threepence. These spirits are colonial in most instances. In Melbourne the cheapest whisky or brandy is sixpence, but the Sydney threepenny customer cannot select his choice brand, nor pour out a “five-finger” nip for himself. The publican does the pouring out ; and

quite right, too. Cheap goods of any kind are bad, and the worst thing of all is cheap booze, be it beer, wine .or whisky.

THE LAW AND THE TRADE.

The Diarist of the London “L.V. Gazette” writes on the 12th ult. :—

"I have several times remarked that in cases of crimes of violence where the victims are licensed victuallers the sentences are invariably lenient when compared with other cases. It looks as though there was, in the minds of the magistrates, one law for publicans and another for the rest of the public. Consider these two cases. John Harris, otherwise Stewart, was summoned for assaulting Mr John Regan, licensed victualler, of the Stanley, Borough Market, London. On the sth of August the complainant was summoned for assaulting a potman who had left the door unfastened, and the case was dismissed. The .present defendant was a friend of

the potman, and was annoyed at the result. Next morning Mr Regan was proceeding to the bank to ‘pay in.’ when he was molested by the defendant, who called him a vile epithet, and slashed at him twice with a whip. Happily, the complainant was unhurt, and was able to take the whip away and turn it upon the defendant. Carrying on business in that neighbourhood, Mr Regan could not allow himself to be terrorised by the rough and dangerous class to which the defendant belonged, and who were well aware when he took the money to the bank. The defendant, who said he was a cart-minder outside the market, was bound over to keep the peace, and was ordered to pay 10s. costs 1

“Alfred Berry, labourer, was charged at Tottenham with violently assaulting Henry Wisby Waldon, licensee of the Eagle, Fore Street, Edmonton, and fracturing two of his ribs with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. The prisoner entered the house on the night of the 30th ult., and his violence resulted in the licensee being confined to his bed for over a fortnight. He was refused liquor as he was intoxicated, and stated, ‘There will be some trouble if lam not served.’ Mr Waldon held the door open for him to leave, and he rushed un to him and struck him such a violent ‘blow that he fell heavily on a seat: That caused the fracture of the ribs. The prisoner fell on him, and in the struggle bit Mr Waldon’s hand, his teeth going through the skin abd drawing blood. Notwithstanding the serious nature of the attack, Mr Waldon was quite willing that the case should be dealt With as one of assault. Evidence was given in support, and the police gave the prisoner the character of being ‘a great nuisance to licensed victuallers.’ The Bench considered it a scandalous assault on a. licensed victualler who, in the exercise of his duty, very properly refused to serve a drunken man. The prisoner must go to prison for six weeks’ hard labour, without the option of a fine. “These were two serious cases of assault ; the punishments awarded were light in comparison with the sentence on the same day, at Tottenham, for an offence against the licensing laws inflicted on an erring member of the Trade. Mrs Coombs, an off-licensee, was summoned for selling half a pint of ale to one John Hewitt, who was charged with taking the can and drinking the beer—on the premises. She was fined £lO and costs or two months, and Hewitt £2 and costs or fourteen days, though the police evidence was. denied by both defendants and two witnesses.”

LIQUOR. TRADES DEFENCE UNION OF VICTORIA.

The first annual meeting of the Liquor Trades Defence Union of Victoria was held at Melbourne last month. Mr A. M'Cracken presided. The annual report, froml which the following is taken, was submitted :— In submitting the accounts for the year ending June 30, your council desires to congratulate the subscribing bodies on the satisfactory result that has attended the establishment and work af the union. After several conferences between the various associations whose interests, being identical, were menaced by the teetotal bodies, it was decided that the best method to secure the defence of the common interest, was the formation of a central council, to which two gentlemen from each body should be elected to act as representatives. The duty of this council was to control the finances subscribed, and to arrange and carry out the necessary work of the association, which it was decided should be styled the Liquor Trades Defence Union of Victoria. Representatives having been elected, the organisation of the various bodies throughout the State was undertaken. Mr Robert H. Lemon having been appointed secretary, was instructed to commence a country tour, and to enlist their support —to arrange the appointment of local committees, which would act in con-

cert with the general council. This part of the organisation was completed to the satisfaction of your council, committees being established in every part of the State where it was felt population justified the action. The council takes this opportunity of thanking the local committees and their corresponding secretaries for the very valuable assistance rendered by them.

Following on this movement, it was decided that lecturing tours should be arranged, at which addresses should be delivered to public meetings, dealing clearly and exhaustively with the whole question of prohibition and local option without compensation, as promoted by the teetotal bodies of the State. In addition to the secretary, the services of Mr J. F. Deegan were engaged for the purpose, and these lectures, delivered in twenty-two different places, and attended in the aggregate by some thousands of citizens, had a good effect. In this connection your council desires to place on record its thanks to Mr James Moloney, representing the Hotel Property-owners’ Association on the council, and Mr J. S. Dillon, representing the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, for, the assistance given by them in addressing public meetings.

As the elections drew near, attention was paid to the views of. candidates offering themselves for both Houses of the State Parliament, which being learned, selections of those who should be supported or opposed, as the case might be, wag made, and members of the trade throughout the country duly advised. The result of this election your council considers most satisfactory. The members of both Houses are, almost without exception, men who hold reasonable views on the question of our trade. In conclusion, your council has to confratulate the trade on the success that as attended its first effort to protect the large interests involved, and to defeat the efforts of those who so unfairly assail them, and it trusts that the lesson so gained will not be lost upon those so vitally interested, but will encourage them to continue the work so begun. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said that he thought the trade was to be congratulated on the (success which had attended the. work of the union. It was not an aggressive body, and did not seek to force its politics upon the State. But he did think that there were certain rights inherent to them as traders which should be protected, which it was their duty to place before the people in as clear and

fair a manner as possible. This has been done, and he thought it would be ad. mitted, fairly and temperately. They had to recognise the support received from their friends in all parts of the State. He believed that the result of the union’s work would be for the benefit of their trade.

Mr James Moloney, in seconding the report, said he was pleased to recognise the full and fair spirit which all branches of their trade had shown in their support of the union and its objects. It was quite true that, while no aggression should be attempted at any time, it was reasonable that the privilege of placing before the country the enormous interests involved should be allowed to them. Speaking from his own knowledge, acquired from his visits to country districts, he was quite sure that the effects of the lectures delivered had been to show to our fellowcitizens that the policy of prohibition was not the true remedy for the evils of intemperance, and the more the question was temperately discussed the more would public opinion come to hold this view. He had much pleasure in congratulating the union on the good result which had attended its first year’s work.

Mr W. G. Greig moved, and Mr W. Barrett seconded, a vote of thanks to the council and its chairman, which was carried with enthusiasm. —(“ A.B. Journal.”)