the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 906, 18 July 1907, Page 20

the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette

We understand that Mr R. J- Ware, late proprietor of the Criterion Hotel, has taken over the Wynyard Arms Hotel, Symond and Wellesley Streets. We feel sure that Mr Ware will make a success of the Wynyard Arms, especially as he has the co-operation of so sterling an assistant as Mrs Ware.

Now that the question of the adulteration of foods and beverages has been opened up by the Pure Food Bill, it is to be hoped that the question of whether or not adulteration or misrepresentation is carried on in other branches of commerce, will be opened up. It being freely stated that in many lines of dry goods, things are not always what they seem, or what is more to the point, what they are sold for.

1 Mr Ngata, member for the Eastern Maori District, referred last week in the "House to what he styled King Country whisky, stating that a large quantity of kerosene found its way into the liquor. The penetrating powers of this mineral oil are well known, but if the statement of Mr Ngata is derived from an authentic source, then the oil is still more penetrating than has hitherto been suspected. ♦ * * *

Mr S. J. Gibbons, licensee of the White Hart Hotel, Marton, has been committed for trial on a charge of having attempted to cause a witness to make certain false statements to the police in connection with a licensing prosecution. * * * *

It is reported from Te Kuiti, King Country, that the police have been very active in respect to liquor carrying on the railway, and several cases in connection therewith will be heard at the next sitting- of the Magistrate’s Court. * * * *

The Hon. Geo. Fowlds’ Pure Foods Bill has passed the second reading in the House. It is said that if the Bill is finally passed, alcoholic beverages will receive special attention, and that some of its supporters see in it a new way of having a dig at the liquor trade. * * * * The telephone between Sydney and Melbourne was opened to the public last Thursday. * * * *

Sir Joseph Ward has admitted in regard to the Post Office it would be necessary to make further provision in Auckland for the requirements both of the department and the public. » * » *

In a private bill which has been introduced in the South Australian Legislature, it is proposed to give barmaids at present following their occupation ten years tenure. The bill is aimed at the aboltion of barmaids as well as to prohibit all women except widows of licensees from holding licensees. * * * *

Robert Gibbs, formerly hotelkeeper at Neavesville, has been committed for trial on charges of obtaining money by means of valueless cheques. Bail was allowed, the;accused to report himself to the police twice a week.

Mr D. Morrison, who was at one time licensee of the Wynyard Arms Hotel, is now in the Criterion Hotel, Albert Street. * * * *

Mr ,W. Woodward, who it will be re membered was hotelkeeping at the Thames, and subsequently at Rotorua, has returned to Auckland after a lengthy tour of the Australasian Colonies. » * * *

In the employment book of the Cooks’ and Waiters’ Union of Wellington, there was recently 100 signatures of members ij.'.v'.ttrho were registered as being open for « * * *

*Fhe theft of £2OO from the Temper- ' Hall, Melbourne, last month, has y Jheei¥ -cleared up by the confession of ; a trustee,. that by aid of a duplicati®/key he had himself robbed the safe. '• .* » * „ Detective. Mcllveney is now on his way

back to New Zealand having in his D- M. Mclntyre;. late Superinten dent.of Awards at the New Zealand Exhibition. ■■ -•■■■

Reinforced concrete will enter largely into the construction of the new Prince of Wales’ Hotel at Masterton, all the inner walls of which will be of this material.

Convictions for drunkenness last year in Auckland numbered 1231, in Wellington with a smaller population 1908 convictions were recorded.

The amounts of fines imposed last year on sly grog-sellers in the various districts were as follows Auckland, ; Napier, £s’, Wanganui, Wellington, ; Christchurch, ; Dunedin, lnvercargill,

Inspector Mitchell says that in the Invercargill no-license district it is by no means an uncommon sight to see a number of young fellows collected round a keg of beer on the roadside or in an adjoining paddock. * * * »

The serious danger of licensees allowing any games to be played for drinks was exemplified in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch last week when George Roper, licensee of the Star and Garter Hotel, was fined 40s for permitting quo ts to be played on his premises for drinks. A charge of permitting drunkenness was also preferred against the same defendant, who was convicted and fined his license to be endorsed.

Unlocked lockers in one of the large closed hotels at Oamaru were raided by the police early last week and a quantity of liquor seized. Prosecutions for alleged sly grog-selling are to follow. * * * *

Syrian tobacco has less nicotine than any other; Virginian has most, the percentage in the latter rising to seven per cent.

In the Pure Food Bill there are clauses empowering officers of the Health Department to inspect any place and seize any food or drug for the purpose of analysis. A clause has been added providing a penalty of for obstructing. an officer in the execution of his duty.

A countryman went to London on a holiday, when on passing a picture gallery, he noticed the intimation, “Admission Free.” Thinking this would suit him he entered with great caution. An official came forward, saying, “I’ll take your umbrella, sir.” “Oh, wul ye,” said the countryman. “A thocht it was a swindle of some kind,” and he went out in haste, holding his umbrella firmly in his hand.

At Nelson last Thursday a carpenter named Cooper, aged 30, had a miraculous escape from death at the Trafalgar Hotel, now under construction. Owing to the frost he slipped on the felting being laid on the roof, but caught the edge, and kicking out against the wall, fell down the fire escape to the floor beneath, his further fall being prevented by sarking boards. Owing to his fall being broken by the wall, Cooper only broke his nose, as he fell face downwards. He was also much shaken.

A member of the police force at Gerymouth, who was escorting a female prisoner to the Hokitika gaol the other day, had an embarrassing experience, relates the “Argus.” On arrival at Hokitika the constable found that no conveyance had been provided and hailed the first suitable vehicle that appeared. It was not till after the journey started that he noticed the white favours on the cabman’s whip and awoke to the fact that the people they were passing evidently imagined that the occupants of the cab had been tying the “knot there’s no undoing.” The lady was much flattered by the misconception of the public.

One of the sources of supply for Sunday drinks was lately unearthed by the local police. In the subsequent Police Court proceedings an alleged assistant, whose chief duties appeared to consist of signalling the approach of undesirable persons, was fined in default one month’s imprisonment .

In regard to the Police Provident Fund it is stated that on March 31 last there were three ex-inspectors, 21 ex-sergeants, 37 ex-constables, three ex-detectives, two widows, and two children, on this fund. Their aggregate allowance was On March 31 there was a balance to credit of the fund of an increase for the year of

In connection with the trouble on the Rand, dynamite outrages are becoming prevalent. Last week the Crown Hotel at Boksburg was blown up.

In the local Police Court last Friday, Bertram Booker, barman, Prince of Wales Hotel, was charged with supplying liquor to Robert Tait, who, it was alleged, was then in a state of intoxication. Informations Were also laid against the licensee of the hotel, Henry Booker, charging him with permitting drunken ness on his premises, and also with selling liquor to Tait. Mr W. Fallon appeared for the Crown solicitor, and Mr J. R. Reed defended.

Sergeant Hanson stated that he found Robert Tait in the bar of the Prince of Wales Hotel, and he was intoxicated. He also had a glass of liquor in his hand. At this stage Mr Reed pleaded guilty on behalf of his client, and suggested that the charges against the licensee should be withdrawn. This was agreed to.

His Worship said he thought the ends of justice would be met by recording a conviction against the barman, as the licensee was not present at the time. He fined defendant and costs

Tea shops in London are apparently a very profitable speculation. Messrs Joseph Lyons and Co., Ltd., the wellknown caterers, made a profit for the 12 months ending March 31 last, of 354, showing that this very successful business continues to make further progress. The dividend paid on the ordinary shares is per cent, for the year. The directors have not been tempted to pay a higher dividend, but pursue a cautious financial policy. The new financial year promises to be still more successful, as Messrs Lyons have succeeded in obtaining several important new contracts.

The inconvenience caused to the public by an excessive number of bank holidays was referred to at the last meeting of the Council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The secretary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce wrote re combined action being taken to get the Saints’ days and Whit Monday, eliminated from the list of bank holidays. Mr Ivor Evans said so many bank holidays were certainly a nuisance. The president said it was a great trouble at Easter, when the banks were closed for several successive days. Mr Macfarlane said they could fairly protest against steeplechase day. Finally the Council agreed to support the Wellington Chamber’s action in this matter.

Upon the petition of Messrs Grey and Menzies, Ltd., Robert Gibb, late hotelkeeper at Neavesville, has been adjudicated a bankrupt.

Mr M. S. Laurie, who for some years was hotelkeeping at Te Awamutu, met with a buggy accident last week. Mr Laurie was thrown out and bruised, and his buggy damaged considerably, but otherwise no injury was done.

At Marton last Thursday, George Rosser was fined the full penalty of £lO for procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order.

The French Senate has passed the Chamber of Deputies Bill to prevent the adulteration of wine.

The Royal Hotel at Southbridge was burned down last Sunday afternoon. The fire brigade was able to save the Southbridge Hotel adjoining.

Cheques, for £226,216 have been forwarded to the parties interested in 103 extinctions of public-house licenses in London during 1906.

Bills of lading usually stipulate for the relief of shipowners from liability or loss or damage occasioned by causes over which they have no control, such as “the Act of God,” the King’s enemies, 'pirates, robbers,” etc. In the course of a hearing of a case before Lord. -Young, the question arose as to what the precise meaning of the phrase “the Act of God” was. His lordship gave it as his op'n ion, “the act of God” simply meant “something which no reasonable man could ever expect.” * * » « The Official Assignee has summoned a meeting of the creditors of Robert Gibb for 2.30 p.m. to-morrow afternoon. A gruesome discovery was made at the back of the Cascade Brewery, Hobart (Tas.). The remains of a woman, almost entirely destitute of flesh, were found lying in a recumbent position, as if she had gone to sleep and died. The appearance of the body would indicate that it had been there six months, but in a bag near the deceased was a newspaper of May 11 last. * * ♦ # The United States Government has officially decided to recognise the practice of “tipping,” and hereafter State employes and officials will be allowed is 8d a day while travelling for fees to waiters and porters. There are on an average 725 Government officials travelling each day, so that “tips” will cost the Government about £6O a day, or a year. *.* * « Kilfoil’s Hotel at Boksburg, Transvaal, which was last week blown up by dynamite, had been until recently the quarters of a number of strikers, but shortly before the explosion a number of working miners were in the billiardroom, and it is presumed that the explosion was directed against these. Three persons were killed, and several injured by the explosion.

In Wellington last week the privileges for the Wellington Racing Club’s steeplechase meeting were sold as follows:— Grandstand bar and member’s bar, Mr A. McVimsh, publican’s booth under the people’s stand, £66, Mr J. Curran.

In the Legislative Council last week the Attorney-General, in reply to a question by the Hon. T. K. Macdonald, said the circumstances of the wine case of the Crown v. Weiss were that the defendant sold New Zealand wine which contained a percentage of alcohol higher than that allowed under her license. Admittedly she did not know of the excessive strength of the liquor, but that did not relieve her from responsibility. Although the conviction inflicted upon her was a hardship, it would not be expedient, even if possible, to relax the operation of a salutary rule. The Government could, therefore, not take any action in the case.

It is estimated that before the law was passed prohibiting the sale of cocaine in Maryland in 1906, 70 per cent, of the prisoners in the Police Courts of Baltimore used the drug.