Trade Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 807, 24 August 1905, Page 23

Trade Topics

Our Taranaki correspondent writes ■(August 19): —On Wednesday last Joe Cody, licensee of the Hotel Commonwealth at New Plymouth, and his barmaid were proceeded against for selling a glass of beer to an intoxicated Maori. On the previous Wednesday the same defendants had been fined for supp’ying the same Maori with whisky to consume off the premises. In the second charge additional evidence was forthcoming to show that the Maori was elsewhere, and had the whisky in his possession at the time he said he was in the Hotel Commonwealth. The information was therefore dismissed. Mr. Quilliam, for the defendants, then applied for a rehearing on the first charge. This was granted, and the first information was also dismissed on account of the fresh evidence that had been adduced.

The Pacific Hotel at the Thames has recently been taken over by Mr. Geo. Wallace, late of Raglan. Mr. Wallace is having the rooms thoroughly renovated

and has already greatly improved the place. There is no doubt that under his management the hotel will ,- egain its old reputation as one of the most comfortable and convenient places to stay at on the Thames. Those who were wo at to put up at the Pacific in years gone by should again patronise the hotel. They will find Mr. Wallace is experienced in hotel management, besides being a most genial host. Mrs. Wallace is also very attentive to the requirements of patrons, and will do much by her pleasant manners to popularise the establishment.

The Brian Boru Hotel at the Thames, which was recently partially destroyed by fire, is now being repaired, and will shortly be again able to receive its full complement of visitors.

The Masonic Hotel, Napier, witnessed a truly representative gathering of old identities on the afternoon of August 16. The occasion was that of the departure of Mr. Tom Morrison, who has long been connected with Hawke's Bay, and who was upon the eve of leaving for a trip on account of his health. Mr. Morrison had been connected with the “Hawke’s Bay Herald” for a considerable period, but sold out his interest later on. He came out to New Zealand in the ship Minerva in 1861.

Plymouth claims to be the only English municipality that possesses both a “Town Tavern” (now the Royal Hotel) and a theatre.

The Kuaotunu hotels have recently changed hands, Mr. L. Woodcock having taken the Kuaotunu Hotel, and Mr. S. Gribble has become licensee of the Royal Hotel.

The champagne that is served at the King’s table does not bear any label, so that none of the guests can tell what brand he is drinking.

The Hotel Coronation, Gisborne, was the scene of a friendly gathering on the evening of the 18th inst., when the mem bers of the Union Cricket Club presented Mr. G. Tattersail with a handsome table lamp on the eve of his marriage. *** ° * A very sudden death occurred at the Masonic Hotel, Gisborne, on the morning of August 13. Mr. T. Allen, the head waiter, bemg suddenly seized with a fit whilst in the performance of his duties and dying shortly afterwards. Deceased and his brother carried on the City Buffet for some years, but latterly held the position of head waiter at the Masonic Hotel. He was 37 years of age, and leaves a widow and a family. Much sympathy is felt for them in their sad bereave- * * * ° writing to the Napier Daily lelegraph’ on Napier and No License, points out yet another of the injustices that have fallen upon the place, under the baneful influence of the prohibition cranks. He says:—“The Napier Park Racing Club made £2O last year. The H.B. Jockey Club, otherwise the Hastings Racing Club, made £7OO. We can al! remember when the positions were reversed. Why is this? The small profit at Napier is said to be owing to bad weather, but the Napier Club have always had bad weather to contend with. I submit it is accounted for to a great extent by the fact that a conditional license is refused, and that is just the advantage the Hastings Club wanted. It should make no difference because everyone who wants liquor takes it or goes along to the hotel, but the difference is there all the same. The parsons rejoice exceedingly, not because they have gained anything morally on the liquor question: they know the same liquor is consumed: but because they are helping to ruin racing and they will go on agitating until Napier has no-license.

What does that mean? The Hastings neople know. They are spending hundreds of pounds on Cornwall Park preparing football grounds, cricket pitches,

and tennis courts. Everything of that kind must go to Hastings. Even given equal accommodation your ordinary commercial will stay in a licensed house. Think of the monev. probably thousands of pounds, going from Napier to Hastings every year for liquor. Napier has now a well-conducted respectable licensed liquor trade, and the money spent circulates and is spent again in Napier. After no-license we shall have a liquor trade just the same—a disreputable, uncontrolled, private drinking trade it is true—but the mone’- spent in it will circulate in and be spent for the benefit of other towns. It is apparent to the very meanest intellect that owing to the geographical positions of Hastings and Napier no-license in Napier spells disaster. The parsons, the chief agitators, would rejoice. This political movement has become such a pet scheme with them, so much hatred and spite have been introduced, that it matters nothing if Napier is wiped out so long as they gain their ends and ruin the few people engaged in the trade. . ;

It is to be hoped that those having interests in the town will study their own interests before those of a few agitators and those mostly of the clerical order.— I am. etc., RESIDENT.” Napier, August 16, 1905,

A new departure in the treatment of confirmed drunkards has just been made in New York, where magistrates and justices of the Supreme Court may commit inebriates for treatment at an establishment that is half gaol, half hospital. Commitment may be for a term less than a year on the complaint of a father, mother, sister, or brother, or a child against its own parent. The odd part of the business is that the cost of maintaining this inebriates’ home falls on excise dues.

Mr. Fisher recently asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that barmaids are being worked in hotel bars in Wellington on Sundays, and if he will amend the law in the direction of preventing the continuance of this practice? Mr. McGowan replied thus: lam not aware that barmaids are being worked in hotel bars in Wellington on Sundays. Barmaids are not usually engaged in cleaning bars, and the only employment on Bundays would be to draw liquor for lodgers, but this work is more limited owing to recent legislation. The law does not at present prevent a barmaid from being so employed on such days.

<<T^ e Hobart special correspondent of the .Launceston Daily Telegraph,” writing recentb’ of some of the old landmarks of Jlobart, has something interesting to sav ot one of the old hotels of the early days, lhe pub. situated in Upper Mur-ray-street, rejoicing under the name of Sir Thomas Brisbane,” was, he says, a snug hostelry of its kind, and its ground floor was reached by a flight of stone steps. A painting of Sir Thomas swung over the pub. door, and when the nor’wester howled and beat against the signboard it creaked dismally in its rusty sockets. One of the. sons of the owner was christened Napoleon Buonaparte, and was for many years a pilot in the employ of the Hobart Marine Board. Another son was a master builder, and several of his representatives are still alive. The front of Sir Thomas Brisbane has been demolished, to allow of the erection of an up-to-date villa. The back portion is still standing - , a dumb monument of the early days of settlement, when the times were rough, and those who moved in them, seemed satisfied that the world was jogiring along very nicely.