HOME NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 796, 8 June 1905, Page 26

HOME NOTES.

(“ L.V. Gazette,” April 20.) Unlike the English Licensing Act, the new Scotch Licensing Act authorises the magistrates to fix the hour, for closing licensed premises, and when it came into force at the beginning of last year ten o’clock, it will be remembered, was the general hour fixed throughout Scotland. It was argued that no great inconvenience would be caused to the public, and that in any case a moral benefit would accrue which would more than counterbalance any such inconvenience. After a year’s experience of earlier closing the licence-holders find that their business has suffered, while it is admitted that the moral aspect of the question is an extremely difficult one to gauge. * * *

A deputation of the Trade, headed by Mr. W. J. Younger, has therefore waited upon the Edinburgh magistrates for the purpose of urging a reconsideration of the regulation closing licensed premises at ten o’clock. Unfortunately the public does not seem to have, interested itself at all in the matter, and although the members of the Trade thought that they had the largest experience and the best means of judging of the needs of the population who used their public-houses, the magistrates turned a deaf ear to thenentreaties, and unanimously decided to adhere to the ten o’clock rule. Such being the case, the question arises whether the licence-holders should not agitate for a reduction in the licence duties, seeing that the busiest hour of the day under the old regime with many publicans has been taken from them, while it must be

candidly admitted that such cities as Edinburgh and Glasgow are not made more attractive to the travelling public bv the earlier hour of closing.

While the law lays it down that customers may not be kept after hours a publican has a right to entertain his friends at his own expense at all times. Some licence-holders entertain more largely than others, possibly because their friends are more numerous, but there is no limit in law as to the number of times a licence-holder may have his friends around him in the course of a month or a year. The Elgin magistrates, however, are evidently desirous of making a law unto themselves in this respect. Complaint has been made by the police to the Bench that Mrs. Milne, of the Gordon Arms Hotel, has often had people in her house long after the regulation hour for closing, and whenever she has been spoken to in regard to the matter her reply has been that she was simply entertaining her own private friends in her own room. The Bench has caused to be conveyed to Mrs. Milne “ the serious warning” that it will not tolerate such conduct. Presumably Airs. Milne, whose good conduct of the hotel is recognised, would not permit customers to remain after closing hours and so jeopardise, her licence. This being the case, what right has the Bench to issue any such warning ?

There can be no doubt, as Mr. Bodkin pointed out at the Newington Quarter Sessions on Friday, that the Child Messenger Act of 1901 has been rendered absolutely inoperative by the decisions of the Divisional Court in the cases of Emery v. Nalloth, Groome v. Grimes, and McKenna v. Harding, and if further proof were wanted of the indefensible magisterial decisions given under this Act, it is to be found in the result of the appeal of Thomas Charles Whitier, of the Fountain Public-house, Walworth Road, against his conviction and penalty of 40s and costs imposed bv Mr. Hopkins at the Lambeth Police Court. Mr. J. P. Grain, who was briefed for the respondent magistrate, found himself in an .untenable position, and after communicating with the Home Office he was instructed to withdraw from the matter. Should the Amendment Bill now before Parliament —making the servants of licencees equalb- responsible with their master — become law, the defect in the Act will no

doubt be remedied. Meanwhile further prosecutions under the Child Messenger Act are not likely to be undertaken. » * * *

The Trade has noticed, with much satisfaction, the firm stand taken by the Middlesex County Licensing Committee in regard to the applications on behalf of a number of chemists for licences for wine to be consumed off i.-a premises. It was submitted that all tnat was desired was permission to sell medicinal wines. But Sir Ralph Littler put the matter very plainly when he said:—-“When you get a licence of this kind you cannot restrict it to the doctor’s prescriptions. All an applicant has to do * -o write a note and put a couple of undecipherable initials at the bottom, and the mischief is done. The sale of these medicated wines is more dangerous than the sale of ordinary drinks. It is possible for people to go into a chemist’s shop who would not be seen in a public-house, and who would not buy intoxicants from a grocer. I cannot conceive anything more insidious than the sale of these wines to a person who has contracted the cocaine habit. There is no reason whatever for these licences, and they must be refused.” And refused they were—some half a dozen of them. This emphatic refusal on the part of the Middlesex County Licenisng Committee to give facilities to chemists to compete with licensed victuallers will, it is hoped, induce other Benches to adopt a similar course of action. It is all very well for the United States authorities to give chemists in American prohibition States authority to sell alcoholic drink but such facilities are certainly not needed in this country.

During the four years of its existence the Central Public-house Trust Association boasts that it has formed companies in nearly every county in England. There are at present thirty-five in England, one in Wales, and one in Ireland. Some are doing fairly well, others very badly—to wit, the Surrey Public-house Trust Company, the shareholders of which have had to forego the five per cent, cumulative interest. Complaint is made that there are practically no new licences to be got at the present time, and the only chance of these companies doing any useful work is in the purchase of older houses at considerable prices working them up to a profit. So far the-

new Licensing Act does not appear to I have helped them, which is not surpris- | ing in view of the heavy price charged ’ for “ monopoly values” of new licences. The Central Association, which is chiefly ongaged in propaganda work, anparently gtes deeper and deeper into debt. Last year there was a deficit of £829, which has been increased this year to £1414. A strong appeal is therefore made to tern- j perance reformers for financial aid, and j it remains to be seen what the result of ! the meeting at Grosvenor House will be I on May 23. j

The Bishop of London is reported to have stated at the annual meeting of the London United Temperance Council, held the other day at the Mansion House under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, that he had circularised every Bench of magistrates in London to put into force the clauses of the Licensing Act and to ues what power they could under that Act. Whw should he have gone out of his way to do any such thing? Magistrates are placed upon the Bench for the purpose of administering the law with impartiality. Every case brought before them must be judged upon its merits. They have no right “ to put into force the clauses of the Licensing Act” or any other Act at the bidding of a Bishon, or even an Archbishon. and the Bishop of London has gone beyond his province in circularising magisterial benches in the way that he is reported to have done. Interference with the magisterial duty was strongly resented by the chairman of the Newington Bench on Friday when a special teetotal “ whip” had been sent round calling the magistrates’ attention to certain classes of appeals that were on the list for that day. 'The irregularity of this sort of thing should certainly be patent to the Bishop of London.

Mr. Arthur T. Dale, joint managing director with Mr. John Reynolds of the Brewers’ Exhibition and Market, returned on Saturday by the Union Castle liner Walmer Castle from South Africa, where he has been managing the Capetown Industrial Exhibition. Almost contemporaneously with his arrival there has been issued the prospectus of the 27th annual Brewers’ Exhibition which will be opened at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, on October 14. It is earlv yet to speak of the prospects of this year’s show, but it is understood that many of the old exhibitors who have put in an appearance year after year will retain their old positions, and that the exhibition, which, by the way, is international in character, will not lack novelty. There will be the usual malting and seed barley competitions—which have attracted worldwide interest—and a comprehensive show of beers, for which valuable awards are offered. The success which has attended the cider and perry competitions has induced the management to continue these, and prizes will be offered for the best dry ginger ale and soda water. The one main object of this exhibition is to bring manufacturers and producers into close contact with the consumers, and that this has been achieved those who have taken part in past shows are quite ready to admit.

Messrs. Newton and Eskell, who for some years organised and managed the catering section of the Brewers’ show, have resolved this year to repeat the experiment of holding a Food and Drink Exhibition in the West of England. Colston Hall, Bristol, has been taken from September 2 to 13. and it is proposed to have a display of food products and specialities of all kinds, while temperance and alcoholic drinks will be shown side by side. The exhibition will also bring into notice the most approved appliances and utensile for cookery and household economy. At a time when so much attention is being directed to the question of the food of the people, a show of this kind in a growing city like Bristol should prove extremely popular. No effort will be wanting on the part of the organisers to make it so, and in order to ensure a remunerative result to exhibitors it has been decided to send out no less than 20.000 free invitation tickets to grocers, confectioners licensed victuallers, and refreshment contractors. Music of the best kind will be provided.