Trade Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 772, 22 December 1904, Page 39

Trade Topics

3 hose who are accustomed to travel •about in the colony know how frequently the question is asked, “ Which is the best hotel to stay at in such and such a place ?’ '1 here are, especially during the summer months, a great many strangeis travelling through the colony, and there has in the past seemingly been no reliable information available as to the best and most comfortable hotels to put up at in the various towns. Thertf have been “ Guides ” innumerable published, but none have so far quite met the case, being either badly arranged or filled up with extraneous matter of very little interest to the majority of the travelling public. 'I he handy little publication which has just been issued from the press will, therefore, be welcomed by those who purpose travelling. “Where to Go and Where to Stay in New Zealand ” is the title of the Guide, and it is full of information, is well illustrated and printed, and we understand it may now be procured at any of the leading booksellers throughout the colony, the price being one shilling.

One of the most popular hotels in Reefton is the Gladstone, of which Mr R. Dunphy is the proprietor. Mr Dunphy is extremely popular with the townspeople, and does a large bar trade, dispensing none but the best liquors, and conducting his hotel on good lines, *** ' * Another very popular hotel in Reefton is Roxborough’s. Mr J. Roxborough is well known in the South Island—in other towns as well ,as on the West Coast —and those who purpose visiting Reefton will find things very comfortable at Roxborough’s Hotel. • • * • • A very comfortable and well-conducted hotel at " Greymouth is the Club Hotel, of which Mr W. H. Rooney is the proprietor. The house is close to the wharf, and having a fair number of rooms, is capable of accommodating a good many visitors. * ♦ ♦ * The Golden Eagle Hotel, Greymquth, is an old-established place, and is well known to those who are in the habit of visiting this seaport town, being very handy to the shipping. Mr P. Phelan is the proprietor. * * » * Mr Thos. Fraser is the present proprietor of the Imperial Hotel, Greymouth, and appears to be doing a satisfactory business. The Imperial is in close proximity to the wharf, and visitors .to Grey mouth will receive every attention should they decide to put up at the Imperial. *’ * * Amongst the numerous hotels at Greymouth one of the most centrally situated is the Commercial. Mr J. McCarthy is the popular host, and having had considerable experience in hotel management is consequently in a position to see that the requirements of his patrons are properly attended to. * * • • Mr J. Reilly, formerly of Timaru, now has the Wallingford Hotel, Temuka. 3 his is a most comfortable place to stay at, and being in the centre of the town, visitors to Temuka will find it very convenient on that account. Though Balclutha is a prohibition town there are still to be found some very well - conducted private hotels. Amongst these one may mention the Railway Hotel, of which Mr J. McCorley is the proprietor. The hotel is close to the railway station, and those who have stayed there have been thoroughly satisfied. Miss McCorley looks well after the requirements of all visitors, and through her obliging manner has become extremely popular amongst the patrons of the hotel.

CAPE LETTER

(Correspondent “L.V. Gazette.”) There seems to be no end to the troubles of the wine, farmer ; the de- ' astaticn wrought by the phylloxera was r'ot only a great blow to his industry but a loss to the country at large. He is now threatened with another disease to his vines, which, though according to the newspaper reports. reads only life a familiar trou'lw which the sulnhrrisaticn of the vines is intended to prevent, must he of a stranger and more dangerous description when experienced viticulturists form a deputation to the Ministry on the matter. Expert opinion has so far not been able to throw any light on the subject, and althmfh it was noticed last year, it has oi'ly now assumed formidable dimensicns. The disease shows itself by the appearance cn the leaves of littfe spots (as if the) 7 w r ere burnt), and the failure of the shoots, and deeay at the roots sets in. Whilst only a few 7 vines were attacked last year, in this season a considerable number are entirely lifeless, and 35,000 vines have been affected on one farm alone. At first it was thought to be due to damp

ground, but later investigation showed that drier spots were just as bad, and sometimes worse. The farmers are in a state of alarm, for if the disease is incurable the wine industry is doomed, and the sole support of many farmers will be gone. Expert opinion is to the effect that it is not the same disease as that which did so much mischief in California in 1890. It appears to affect all varieties of vine, and though most prevalent at Stollenbosch it has also been noticed at the Paarl. The Minister for Agricdlture, who, it need scarcely be said, is not an expert, takes the consoling view that the trouble is due to an unseasonable spring ; but his ‘ practical action is to offer the services of the Government experts, Messrs Dubois and

Lounslbury, to act in concert with a few! nominees of the wine farmers. Mr Lounsbury does not think the disease is due to an insect, but to the failure of the roots some time back. Not only the vines but fruit-trees generally are in a bad way, but he did not think there was as yet any great reason for alarm. In conjunction with two of the farmers', the two Government experts are, as soon as possible, to make a tour of the farms, and a thorough inspection in all vine districts. An! interesting little newspaper discussion has taken place lately, a kind of triangular duel, the parties to which are the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Fuller), the temperance party (as represented by Mr Theodore Schreiner), and the wine merchants. The first-named suggested that light Cape wines should be sent up to the Transvaal mines to take the place of Kaffir beer amongst the natives. Mr Schreiner, in a letter, to the “Transvaal Leader,” alleges (1) There are no mild Cape wines which could be supplied to natives, for the cost of su(h really light Cape wines as there are, is prohibitive. The Cape wines which are drunk by the coloured people and natives in the Colony are wines badly made and strongly fortified with alcohol, and containing, by permission of the law, up to 42 per cent, of proof (and that generally raw) spirit. These wines are really coarse spirituous liquors, and the permission to manufacture them, without being subject to the Excise, will lead to an increase of drunkenness, and destroy the likelihood of the wine farmer ever taking the trouble to make really light wine. In! the second place, says Mr Schreiner, if the natives at the mines are to be supplied with really strong liquor, what is to become of the prohibitive laws outside the mines ? Why not outside, too ? In which case Johannesburg may as well be as in the old Nellmapius days. In the third place, the permission to supply native beer was really made, not because of its slight alcoholic properties, but because of its antiscorbutic properties. Finally, if the Government encourages the use of wines containing 42 per cent, of proof spirit, what becomes of the laws prohibiting the sale of liquor to aboriginal natives ? Granted Mr Schreiner’s facts, his argument is both logical and reasonable; but the wine merchants of the country attack him at the verv foundation of his argument. In a letter signed by the principal wholesale merchants it is put forth in answer to the first, argument that the highest alcoholic strength of natural Cape wines is from 18 to 25 perj cent, of proof spirit, and that these wines could easily be sold at such prices as would be within the reach of native Cape workers. Secondly, that the wine drunk sq largely by the coloured people and natives in the Cape Colony contains not more than 23 to 25 per cent, of proof spirit ; that is to s a y, a very slight increase on the natural alcoholic strength of the wine. Further, they state (and here thev give themselves bold advertisement) that “badly made” wines are not dealt in' bv us, such being sold to the distillers’or distilled bv the farmers themselves. So the discussion ends as might naturally be expected, for the wine merchant and the licensed victualler, standing between producer nnd consumer, are necessarily the arbiters of the market, and take the best all-round view of Trade matters.

At the annual dinner and ball of the Westminster and Chelsea Trade, Association, on October 27, the chairman, Mr P. G. Gates, director of the New Westminster Brewery Company, in proposing the toast of the evening, met with a hearty reception. Dilating - at. the outset upon the importance of the Trade, he reminded the company that it was the Trade societies which first called the attention' of the Government to the injustice which had been perpetrated upon tins enormous and valuable Trade, and which led to the introduction and passing of the Licensing Act providing that compensation should be given to those licensees who were dispossessed of their licen-es through no

fault of their own. They had to thank the Trade societies for various important amendments in their interests which were introduced into that Bill in its passage through the House of Commons. He referred, for example, to the fact that compensation was to be given to the licensed victualler for his trade fixtures, and that regard was to be paid to the fact that he had been in occupation for a considerable time and had conducted his house in a respectable manner. The licensed victualler would also be enabled to deduct from his- rent a proportionate part of the compensation levy calculated upon the unexpired term of the lease under which he held. These were very important amendments in their interests, which they owed to the Trade societies in full operation, because the Act might be worked unfairly towards the licensed victualler. It was the duty of the Trade societies to safeguard the interests of the licensed victualler, and to see that the Act was worked fairly in his interest and in that of the inhabitants of the kingdom. The rules which would have to be promulgated for carrying out and working the Act would require the devoted attention of the Trade societies. The report of the licensing justices on which Quarter Sessions were to act with reference to the taking away of licenses should not be a secret, but a public document, and communicated to the party whose interests; were affected. They also expected that the rules would provide that no person with a bias against the Trade should be allowed to sit on the Quarter Sessions committee. After speaking of the utter inapplicability of a time-limit to the measure, the chairman proposed ° Success to the Association,” remarking that it was to the influence of this society that the personal character of the holders in Westminster and Chelsea was maintained at its highest.

A deputation of representatines of churches and temperance organisations waited on the Queensland Premier recently for the purpose of presenting several requests in regard to the control of the liquor traffic ; the Home Secretary was also present. Mr John Cameron. M.L.A., in introducing the deputation, stated that its objects were as follows :—

(1) To ask for the strict enforcement of the Sunday closing clauses of the Li censing Act. (2) To ask for an amendment of the

Licensing Act, to provide ior the incorporation of the 25th section of the Imperial Act, dealing with Sunday trading, which section throws the onus of proof on the persons found on the licensed premises, to prove that they are not there for the purpose of purchasingliquors. (3) To protest against adulteration of liquors.

Many long speeches were made by members of the deputation, traversing the same old ground. In reply, the Premier said “ he thought that the deputation had made out their case fully and clearly.” One thing which had struck him was ** the knowledge which the members of the deputation appeared to possess of the methods of publicans who broke the law ; he had obtained information which showed him how he could get a drink on Sunday if he wanted one.” Mr Ewan, in his remarks, had said “ that breaches of the law were more flagrant than they had ever been before.” It was his duty, as head of the Government, to controvert that statement, which was not correct.

Mr Ewan had expressed a fear that something was impending—something that he assumed was hostile to the views of the deputation. That, perhaps, was due to the fact that numbers of petitions had been received by Parliament in favour of opening hotels on Sundays. He could say “ that there was not the least prospect of any measure dealing with the liquor traffic generally being dealt with by Parliament this session.” With regard to the adulteration of liquor, he was glad that they supported the Government in one thing ; prosecutions had been going on for the adulteration of liquors. The Government would continue to enforce the law to the best of its ability, and in the direction asked.— (“A.B. Journal.”)

There are unscrupulous publicahis as there are unscrupulous tradesmen of every kind (says the London <f L.V. Gazette ”), and it is undoubtedly of advantage to the licensed victualling interest as a whole that when discovered in defrauding

the public they should be brought tobook. Such well-known whisky firms as John Jameson and Sons and Buchanan and Co., Limited, are constantly making applications to the Courts for injunctions against retail traders for selling whisky which is not of their manufacture, two cases having occurred withinthe last few days. One of these —that relating to the sale of “ spurious Jameson,” at Mullingar—was a very bad case. It was stated in Court that the whole shop was “ covered with dummy bottles bearing genuine labels.” Of course there was the usual excuse—the establishment was under the control of a manager, who acted contrary to orders. The Master of" the Rolls described this as one of the worst and most impudent cases of fraud he had ever heard of, and granted an. injunction with costs and an inquiry as to damages. jßtachanan and Co. also succeeded in obtaining an injunction against a Welsh tradesman for selling as “ Black and White ” whisky which never cameout of the Black Swan distillery.