Trade Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 800, 6 July 1905, Page 23

Trade Topics

Our Christchurch correspondent thus: —An old resident of Ashburton writes in a doleful strain to a Christchurch daily anent the state of Ashburton since that dreary township, in the words of Mr. Taylor, “ went dry.” Business, according to this correspondent, has been seriously affected in Ashburton as the result of “ no license,” and lots of business men there have cleared out in consequence. Other people who ought to know tell the same tale, and the fact that Ashburton is honeycombed with sly grog-sellers is pretty generally admitted. It remains to be seen whether Ashburton will vote no-license again next November. I fancy a big surprise is in store for the Pump Party. But we shall see what we shall see. Writes our Christchurch correspondent:—Proposed that Christchurch City shall buy out the local Gas Company and run the gasworks as a municipal venture. The company has been in existence for many years. In its early days it had a prettv tough struggle to keep its head above water, but for a long time now it has been paying corpulent dividends. Hence the proposal to municipalise the gasworks. Mr. “ Tommy” .Taylor was the first person, I believe, to suggest the “ taking over” of the concern of the city, and he is understood to be in favour of compensating shareholders in the event of the municipalisation idea coming off. That’s all right. But if Gas Company shareholders are to be paid compensation why should, compensation be denied to hotelkeepers? What is sauce for the goose—et cetera, et cetera.

The reason the late Licensing Bill was opposed, said Mr. Major in his political address at Hawera, was because of clause

which. meant ee No license, no liquor.” Prohibition, he thought, was a most illiberal measure. “ Why,” he asked, because he had the toothache should he wish other people to have their teeth drawn?” New Zealand was the most temperate place on earth, with the exception of a few of the Asiatic races. He did not think there was any virtue in being made good by Act of Parliament, and any_such action would result in sapping the moral fibre of the people. It was no credit to any man or woman to be good when not tempted, but what built up character was a resistance of temptation when it presented itself.

The Wellington Times says: “ Out of one hundred and thirty-four applicants, Mr. W. L. Hunter, formerly the proprietor of a licensed house at Waihi, has been appointed manager of. the Gwalia State Hotel, West Australia.”

The latest thing which mechanical science has done for the bottling industry is now on view in Dunedin. The appliance in question is a bottle-washing machine. Formerly the washing of bottles was done by hand, but with the new appliance, whereby two men can do the work of six, thirty-two bottles are treated at once. The touch of a handle injects a certain quantity of water and steel chips into them, and they are then propelled backwards »nd . forwards at a great speed, the motion of the steel chips and water effecting the cleaning. The bottles are then returned to an upright position, the steel chips passing back automatically to the magazines. A ringing apparatus then injects a stream of water 1 into the bottles, and at the end of the process, which is anything but slow, the bottles are beautifully done.

It is a matter for general remark (says the “ Hawke’s Bay Herald”) that the clergy of his church did not associate themselves with Father Hays’ temperance mission in Hawke’s Bay.

French writers are again warning the public against what is termed “ the green peril,” in other words, absinthe, the consumption of which is fearfully on the in- • . ciease in France. In Belgium an interdict has been placed on the terrible diink. and its manufacture and sale are now forbidden in that country. According to one of the anti-absinthe writers, M. Maurice Talmey, 133,000 hectolitres, °£ 2,926,000 gallons, in round numbers, of the stuff are annually absorbed by the French people, men and women, for the women have also learned to like the fee verte, now the green peril. Fifty years ago only 735 hectolitres of absinthe were consumed in France. The increase of lunacy is . attributed to the deleterious drink. Sixty years back there were only 10,000 registered lunatics, and now there are 80,000. The increase in crime is also traced to the love of absinthe among the masses.

The adjourned meeting of the Waipawa Licensing Committee was held at the Courthouse on Thursday last. In the absence of Mr. Brabant, S.M., Pastor Ries was voted to the chair. Renewals of licenses were granted to Benjamin Geddes, Makotuku Hotel, and James Gleeson, Beaconsfield Hotel, Makotuku (subject to supplying fire escapes).

Mr. Gleeson applied for a temporary transfer of license to Benjamin Moore, and it was granted.

An application for renewal in respect of the Sawyers’ Arms Hotel, Tikokino, was approved.

Our Taranaki correspondent writes (July 1) :—Mr. Hood, a relative of Mr. J. Hawkins, has bought out Mr. Moroney’s interest in the Rahotu Hotel. Mr. F. Calgher has bought Mr. H. Shortlander’s interests in the Railway Hotel at Inglewood. I understand that Mrs. Kennedy intends to personally conduct the Inglewood Hotel, in the new premises which are nearing completion.

An interesting licensing case was heard before Mr. James, S.M., at Dannevirke recently, when B. Geddes, licen-

see of the Makotuku Hotel, was charged with permitting the sale of liquor on a Sunday, contrary to the provisions of the icensing Act. On the occasion in question the Dannevirke Band visited Makotuku in connection with the hospital demonstration. The conductor, W. Haines, swore that arrangements had been made for their dinner some days jT? ale W ? s P laced on the table, ana that the meal was paid for by the secretary of the Demonstration CommitS 6, n embers also admitted having had drink. Mr. Hosking, for the defence admitted the sale of liquor, but denied that it was illegally supplied by The def endant deposed that the bandsmen returned from the Recreation Ground- at 4.30 and asked for drmks. Witness refused to supply them, but soon afterwards Pastor Ries appeared with several of the members and asked why they could not be supplied Witness told him that it was ilPfXtl t S- d ° SO 7 . °, n Snnday, whereupon Pastor Ries replied that he did not think there would be anything wrong in giving the refreshment, interpreting his reto niean that so long as no charge was made, there was no breach of the law Acting on this, he supplied the drinks free. The S.M. announced that it was unnecessary to hear the defence further A technical offence had been committed, but it would be manifestly unfair _to punish a publican who had been advised to supply liq Uor in prohibited hours, by a J.P. who was a member of the Licensing Committee. Mr. Cornford tor the prosecution, said the police had been compelled to take the proceedings to prevent the idea becoming current that fish, was made of one partv and nesh of another.

The annual meeting of the Waipu Licensing Bench held on June 30 was attended by the following members:—The Chairman (Mr. Barton, S.M.), Messrs. C. Gray, Caesar, Wallis, and Captain tucker. An application for a license in respect to the Patutahi Hotel was granted to Mrs. Sarah Ann Craill. In the case of the application of James Boyce for an accommodation license for Hotel > Mr - A - W - R ees stated that there was an application for a temporary transfer to Mr. Newy. Application granted Mr. Nolan appeared on behalf of L. C. Allen, whose application tor a renewal of a publican’s license for le Karaka Hotel hat?-*been adjourned pending the visit of the committee in regard to proposed alterations in the hotel to afford greater privacy to people going to and from the diningroom. The chairman said that he had seen into the matter, and Mr. Allen had undertaken to close the bar slide in the passage leading to the diningroom. The alteration would suffice for the present. Application granted. A temporary transfer of the license of Te Rahui Hotel from James Boyce to Frederick Montague Newy was granted. Mr. C. C. Hansen’s application for a renewal of his accommodation license at Motu was granted. A conditional license was granted to Mr. Martin for the Gisborne Racing Club’s meeting on July 6 -and 7 at the Park course the hours to be. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each J??- Aislabie was granted conditional licenses for Matawhero saleyards on Julv 13 and 17.