The Licensed Victuallers' Gazette

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 895, 2 May 1907, Page 20

The Licensed Victuallers' Gazette

Mr E. T. Bain has lately taken over the Rangiriri Hotel. This fine house is in tip top order and affords the travelling public every comfort. There is excellent boating to be had on the Waikato river. Several thousands of trout have lately been liberated in the vicinity of Rangiriri, and good fishing should be obtainable within the next twelve months. * * * * It is reported that Mr Alf. Adams has purchased Mr R. T. Michaels interest in the Manukau Hotel at Onehunga. * * * * Mr W. F. Bell, who has purchased Mr R. Cameron’s interest in the Panmure Hotel, took over that house last Monday. * * * * We hear that Mr E. H. White, who was for some years in the Esplanade Hotel, at Devonport, has purchased Mr Donald McLeod’s interest in the Settlers’ Hotel at Whangarei. * * * * Tenders are called for painting work at Mr A Bach’s United Service Hotel. * * * * The latest news in the Mclntyre business is that a warrant has been issued for his arrest. * * * * At Westport last Friday, Mr Kenrick, S. fined a hotelkeeper at Karamea £3 for selling liquor on Sunday. Two teams of cricketers (one travelling five miles) had dinner at the hotel, the losers of the match paying is. 6d per head for dinner. Beer was supplied with the dinner. The Magistrate held there was an alleged sale of liquor. * * At Christchurch last week a large number of entries were received in connection with the re-judging of the wines and spirits exhibits at the recent Exhibition. * * * * Under the Wellington Corporation bylaws persons under 18 years of age are not allowed in billiard rooms. * * * * Messrs Drake and Welch, the wellknown firm of commission agents at New Plymouth, make a specialty of hotel broking. They have on their books leases ranging from to /J4OOO, and freehold from to Since undertaking this class of business the firm have made a very great success of it. Any would-be purchaser should send for a list of properties on the books; which will be forwarded by return. « « « It has been calculated that the Exhibition took the best part of £lOO,OOO out of Dunedin. The basis of calculation is the fact that about 18,000 people travelled from there by rail and steamer. The supposition is that the spending per head averaged £5, probably it averaged more. ♦ * * * Judgment was entered by default at Dublin for against D. E. Williams and Patrick Smith, distillers, at the instance of the Inland Revenue authorities owing to the failure of the defendants to issue permits correctly with parcels of spirits. * * * * Policemen of experience have laid it down that a mob is always most dangerous when it is quiet. The negotiations for the amalgamation of all the principal brewing companies in Melbourne are completed. The new proprietary will have a capital of £1,000,000. The scheme is for the amalgamation of six of the Melbourne breweries, the new company to have a capital of £1,000,000. Three of the breweries would be closed, and all brewing be done at the remaining three . The six breweries employ about 600 men, and it is expected that 100 of these will not be required. The brewery hands held meetings some time ago, with a view to forming a co-operative brewery to give the discardful men work. McCracken’s Brewery Company, which has been in financial difficulties, is in the amalgamation scheme. » ♦ * ♦ Messrs Lomax, Lucena and Co., the well known firm of Wellington hotel brokers, have recently opened an office at 77, Royal Oak Buildings, Wellington. Those interested should read their revised list of hotel properties for sale appearing in this issue. It covers all kind's of hotels to suit buyers with either long or short purses.

The population of the colony is about 960,000, and the number of people who attended the International Exhibition at Christchurch was 1,970,000, or an average of over two visits for every person in the colony. * * * * In the course of a prohibition' order case at the Masterton Magistrate’s Court, there was a difference of opinion between the arresting constable and the accused as to whether the contents of the jug, found in accused’s house, was beer or otherwise, the former swearing that it was beer, and the latter that it was a mixture of tea, water, and quinine put there as a practical joke for the express purpose of trapping the constable. The magistrate decided against the alleged practical poker. * * * * William Lawson and David Hollman were charged at the Invercargill Police Court last week that being rogues and vagabonds within the meaning of the Act, they did impose upon one William Watt, a private individual, by false and fraudulent representations, with a view to obtaining money and goods and board and lodgings on credit. The allegation was that they arranged for board and lodging at the Royal Hotel, and went awav without paying. Watt said .he had been deceived by four people during a fortnight. The magistrate held that no criminal offence had been shown by the evidence, and dismissed the case, with two guineas costs against informant. A Dunedin lady returns from Christchurch with an exalted notion of the integrity of “cabby” in the Cathedral City. She left a satchel containing a good many pounds’ worth of jewellery and a considerable sum of money in a cab, and a good many hours later was diligently sought out at the hotel where she was staying and the lost property dutifully returned. * * * * At the sitting of the Assessment Court for South Invercargill an objector took exception to the constitution of the Court stating that Mr A. Bain, appointed by the borough, had been a bitter opponent of his for many years. The chairman, Magistrate McCarthy, said he had known Mr Bain for many years as a member of the Licensing Committee, and that while he was a hard hitter he never did anything unfair. He could not see his way to enter the suggestion of the objector, The Court then proceeded to business. * * * * It is reported that one of the city hotels was the scene of a recent theft, which occurred early in the evening, a bedroom being entered and the side of a portmanteau cut out, the contents being abstracted through the hole. At Invercargill last Saturday the police raided two local hotels in search of illicit liquor. Liquor taken possession of at one hotel (where there are lockers) was returned, and it is understood that nothing to justify proceedings was found. Liquor was confiscated at the other hotel also, and informations will be laid against the proprietor for keeping liquor for sale. * * * * It was reported from Blenheim last Monday that Mrs Cress, aged 31, proprietress of the Waihou Valley Hotel, died suddenly on Sunday morning. An inquest is being held. * * * * At the Magistrate’s Court, Ashburton, last Friday, James Burgess pleaded guilty to a charge of illegally selling beer, and was fined * * * * We hear that Mr H. Brunton has sold his interest in the Mauku Inn at Patumahoe, to Mr T. B. Bailey. * * * * McLean’s boarding-house in Dukestreet, Cambridge, the property of Mrs E. Keesing, of Auckland, was nearly destroyed by fire at three o’clock last Monday morning. A number of Maoris, who were staying in the house, were nearly suffocated by smoke. They woke the proprietor, wkho was found on a sofa, the curtains of the dining-room being on fire. With the help of the Maoris the fire was extinguished without much damage. The building was formerly the old Duke of Cambridge Hotel, but was moved back some years ago. Mrs Keesing spent a considerable sum on the property.

An audacious individual, evidently bent on theft, entered the premises of the Auckland Club on Saturday afternoon and went through the bedrooms of two of the members. Fortunately no valuables were left there by the occupants, and the intruder, so far as can be ascertained, obtained nothing to reward his search among the various articles left in the rooms. It is stated that a tie pin was found in one of the rooms, and as the pin does not belong to either of the occupants, it may lead to the detection of the visitor.

THE McINTYRE CASE.

It was reported from Christchurch last Thursday that a warrant for the arrest of D. C. Mclntyre, ex-director of exhibits and superintendent of awards at the International Exhibition, was issued by Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M. It will most probably be necessary to take Mclntyre from Monte Video on to England, and then back to New Zealand, for it seems that the steamers do not call in at the South American port on the journey out, and difficulty might be experienced in making satisfactory arrangements for his return direct from Monte Video. The Turakina is expected to arrive at Monte Video by the 30th of April, and the Commissioner of Police in Wellington will probably receive a cablegram announcing the arrest of Mclntyre on May 1. Other charges of a similar nature wil> probably be laid against Mclntyre, after he arrives in the colony, but it is not expected that a very large total amount will be involved.

NO-LICENSE FIGURES.

An examination of Invercargill Customs figures discloses the interesting fact that the duty paid on liquors of all descriptions, including locally brewed beer decreased in nine months of no-license. In general goods other than liquors a record year was experienced, the amount collected being over in excess of that of the previous year. While admitting that these facts are favourable to the contention that more merchandise and less liquor have been sold under no-license, the Temperance party do not admit that the figures of duty paid in Invercargill are any criterion of consumption there, as duty is paid in Invercargill for the whole of Southland, which includes three license areas, Awarua, Wallace and Port Wakitipuo. All liquor sold by the travellers of two Invercargill wholesale spirit merchants, wherever consumed, and beer manufactured at Gore brewery, forty miles away, pay duty at Invercargill. The Temperance party contend it is unfair to judge the consumption for the town from the figures for the whole area.

INFORMATION DISMISSED.

In he Police Court last Monday morning before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., William Gibson Rae was charged that on February 7, being the licensee of the Star Hotel, Newton, he supplied beer to Henry Trevarthen, a person apparently under the age of 18 years of age, he, the said Trevarthen, not being a resident on the premises or a bona fide guest or lodger. Mr W. Fallon appeared for the prosecution, and Mr F. E. Baume for the defence pleaded not guilty. Henry Trevarthen said that on February 7 he went into the Star Hotel and had five drinks in about three-quarters of an hour. Cross-examined witness said he was a blacksmith and had told the barman of the hotel that he was 19. His Worship: Why did you tell this lie? Witness : Just to get a drink, sir. Witness went on to say that after he left the Star Hotel he had some more drink, and told another licensee that he was 20. Mr Kettle: What is your age ? Witness: Sixteen and a-half. Mrs Trevarthen said her son would be 17 in August next. She was not sure how long her son had been at the blacksmithing trade. Evidence was called by Mr Baume to the effect that Trevarthen was sober when he left the hotel. Another blacksmith and stated that when spoken to by Rae

said he would take Trevarthen to be 19, after the case Trevarthen told him first that he had given his age as 20, and then as 19. Percy Francis Lloyd, barman at the Star Hotel, said Trevarthen had been supplied several times and- had the appearance of being from 19 to 20 years of age. It never occurred to witness that he was under age. The licensee’s daughter said Trevarthen had given his age to her as 21 and to Mrs Rae he had said he was 20. His Worship said that he did not have to consider whether Trevarthen had more drink than he should have had, but whether he was a boy apparently under the age of 18 years. Personally he would think that he was over 18 and then he had represented himself as over that age to several people, and his Worship did not consider the case proved, and dismissed the information