Trade Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 783, 9 March 1905, Page 23

Trade Topics

The Royal Hotel, Raglan, the popular and long-established hostelry standing bv the beach, has again changed hands, Mr Wallace having parted with his interest to Mr Sam Ferguson, of Yaihi. Raglan is slowly but surely becoming a place of importance, and no more delightful holiday spot could be found in! the whole province. * * * n At the Magistrate’s Court, Warkworth, last week, before Mr H. S. Wardell, S.M., James Titford, licensee of the Puhoi Hotel, was charged, on the information of Constable Stacey, with keeping his premises open after the proper closing hour in November last. Mr Mavs appeared for the prosecution on behalf of the Crown Solicitor, and' Mr J. R. Reed represented the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. After hearing the evidence, the magistrate convicted the defendant and pointed out to him that although the present offence was not a very flagrant breach of the Licensing Act, vet prosecutions like the present were necessary, in order to direct the attention of hotelkeepers to the requirements of the law, and to ensure a Proper observance thereof. He thought a fine would meet the present charge, and he imposed a penalty of £1 and costs accordingly. He did not endorse the license. * * * * Am advertisement of much interest to brewers, hotelkeepers, and investors generally, will be found in our business columns this week. Messrs Macdonald, Wilson and Co., Auctioneers, have received instructions from the Public Trustee to sell at the Exchange Land Mart, 84, Lambton Quay, Wellington, on the 30th inst., the fine property inown as the Prince of Wales Hotel, Queen street, Masterton, Wairarapa. The propertv, which occupies an acre of land, stands in the centre of the business quarter of that thriving town, and has double frontages. The house is one of the largest and best-appointed provincial hotels in' the Colony, and what renders it of unique and exceptional value is the fact that from its position and character it would not depredate in value even if prohibition were carried, which, let us all piously hope, the Wairarapa may long escape. The property has a frontage of sOl^ e 300 feet. Further particulars will be found in the advertisement. * * * * The following rather striking s ta^ e_ ment was made recently by Father Hays, the lecturer on teetotalism, etc., during a conversation with Mr Buckley, secretary of the Victorian Licensed Victuallers’ Association “Prohibition no more prevents drinking and drunkenness than the ten commandments prevent sin.” Father Hays’ secretary, Mr W. L. Bowditch, M.A., says as follows: —“Prohibition means secret drinking of vile liquors under the vilest conditions.” # * * * At the Whangarei S.M. Court, on Tuesday, the licensee of the Kamo Springs Hotel, was charged with selling liquor on a Sunday to a person other than a lodger. He was defended bv Mr McVeagh, of Auckland. Counsel pleaded guilty, arguing in extenuation the uncertain state of the law in regard to the status of a bona fide traveller and that the license should not be endorsed. Mr Mays appeared for the prosecution, instructed by the Hon. J. A Tole Crown Prosecutor. The magistrate, taking the circumstances into account, but holding that under the present law the bona fide traveller had ceased to exist, inflicted a fine of £2 and costs, £4 16s, without endorsement. The licensee of the Kamo Hotel, charged with a similar offence, was also fined similarly. * * * * The Wesleyan Methodist Church has permanently allied itself with the

enemies of freedom, and is arrogating a position in politics which will eventually impair and destroy its assumed “spiritual” purpose. In the report presented at the Wellington Conference, a few days ago, is the following passage “During the earlier stages of the last session of Parliament the Licensing Bill excited a good deal of interest throughout the colony. As introduced, it contained many provisions which were of a distinctly retrogressive character, and were a menace to all temperance reform. While we claim the right to criticise the action of Parliament, and to condemn it when we believe it to be wrong, we must not forget to render our tribute of praise when it does the right. Consequently, it is both our privilege and our duty to acknowledge the fidelity to principle of those who fought so bravely and so successfully for the elimination from the Licensing Bill of those clauses which were so objectionable. The result is that, although we are not called on to endorse every part of the bill as it finally passed the Parliament, we may unhesitatingly say that it represents a great advance on former legislation, and should bear good fruit in' the near future. The current year will witness another struggle at the polls. We trust that everywhere our people will ‘Strike out the Top Line’ at the licensing poll. Where we cannot secure the full measure of ‘No License,’ let us try ‘Reduction’ as a first step, and go on repeating the blow till the drink enemy is wholly driven from our land. Doubtless other proposals will be submitted to you. State control or municipal control will be urged upon your consideration. This is the proverbial ‘red herring across the scent,’ and should be rejected as an impossible dream, and undesirable if possible. Wherever tried, it leads to such corruption that no one seriously proposes to introduce it in any one of its known forms, but always with sundry modifications, which they hope will render it harmless.” * * * ♦ Mr F. Grylls, the licensee of the Inglewood Hotel, has filed a petition in bankruptcy. Mr E. F. Buckthought, late of the Imperial Hotel. New Plymouth, is in charge for the D.O.A. The Wellington “Free Lance” says’— “The police of New Zealand will tell the? newspapers that so and so, the noted criminal, ‘is in Wellington,’ or Auckland, and will tell, you when he is gone away, ’they don’t grab the noted criminal on suspicion, but they lie in wait for a respectable person who is concerned about his wife’s health, and bring him to justice as if he were one of the burglars they are content to talk about and seldom trap. The point in the Waihi case is that the administration of the law—even a liquor law —should be marked by commonsense.” «- * * • The following circular has been issued by the Victorian Licensed Victuallers’ Association : — “284, Collins-street, Melbourne 8, 1905. Dear Sir or Madam, — The Victorian Alliance, which is. an organisation of all the teetotal bodies, now openly announces that it will make a fight to a finish in the next session. of Parliament on the question of ‘ Prohibition Without Compensation.’ They have appointed twenty-three or more organising lecturers, and confidently state that they will obtain over 100,000 signatures to a petition they have circulated. We feel sure the majority of our elector’s are reasonable a®di fair-minded, and, if the matter is put clearly before them, will not lend their countenance and support to robbery and repudiation, no matter on how specious a pretext. You, yourself, know that every year the licensed victualler’s lot is miade more unbearable. by the skilful prosecution of this splendidly organised body, whose object now is to secure such legislation as will rob you of your living and your property. As we cannot hope to call individually on four thousand hotels, we hawe to trust to

your loyalty and generosity to promptly' respond to this appeal. Get every possible signature you can, and return the forms as soon as signed. Join our Association. for this year at least, and assist usin (our fijgjht flor liberty a!nd justice.—Yours truly, A. FRANK iB’UCKLEY, secretary.” The Pure Brandy Question.—A special meeting of the New South Wales ■ Wine Association was held at the Cafe Francais, George-street, on the 24th ult., for the purpose of considering the question of pure brandy.- The following resolutions were submitted for discussion before sending them on to the meeting of delegates to be held in Melbourne on Monday, 30th inst 1. (a) To oppose the word “Brandy” being applied to any other spirit than, that produced from Pure Grape Spirit. (b) To affirm the necessity of the component constituents of all bottled spirits being fully declared on the label. (c) To retain the advantage of the difference between Excise and Import Tariff on Brandy . (d) To oppose any undue influence in favour of distillers of grain and molasses as regards reduction in Excise for their benefit. 2. To consider the following motion, to be proposed by Mr Tucker : —“That this Association communicates with' the Tariff Committee requesting that members be allowed to give evidence in support of a better understanding in regard to the word ‘Brandy’ as applying to this spirit distilled within theCommonwealth. That the excise duty on imitation Brandy be raised to thesame level as the imported article.”. » ♦ * ♦ Not content with enforcing the 10 o’clock closing rule in Scotland, the licensing justices are evidently determined to do all in their power to put a stop to “drinking” after that hour. Just before Christmas a butcher and a tailor entered a fried-fish shop in Glasgow, and after partaking of a frugal meal one of the men filled a couple of tumblers on the table with water. Into these the other man poured some whisky from a bottle which he had in his pocket. Hearing shouting and singing on the premises, a constable entered just when one of six men in the shop was in the act of drinking. Taking up one of the tumblers, and finding that it contained whisky and water, the proprietor of the fried-fish shop was summoned for allowing excisable liquor to be consumed on his premises after 10 o’clock at night, contrary to Section 76 of the Scottish Licensing Act of 1903. His defence was that he was away from the shop at the time, and that the man in charge did not know that it was wrong to allow drinking on the premises. This, however, did not avail, and Bailie Ritchie imposed a penalty of. £2, or five days’ imprisonment. * * * * Commenting on the demand for Scotch whisky in Australia, our London contemporary, the “Wine and Spirit Record,” says “Australia’s demands for Scotch whisky continue to show an upward tendency, although the 1902 total had not been reached at the end of November. It looks, however, as if Australia had once more turned the corner, and is on the high road to a prosperous year, in the benefits of which Scotch whisky will assuredly share. The New Zealand decrease is a small and disappointing one.” * * * * Beer is being retailed at the one hotel that Randalls (W.A.) can boast of at one shilling per pint, though only distant 35 miles from the nearest brewery, Bulong, and about 55 miles from Kalgoorlie. “If a gallon license was granted the local storekeeper, it would enable us (says a correspondent) to get our supplies at a fair price, but the present price is prohibitive, considering the locality. No doubt we will soonhave another hotel here, when the prices will be reduced. If not, a strike similar to that at Davyhurst is wanted.” There is a rumour of another hotel being shortly erected at Randalls.