THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GAZETTE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 951, 28 May 1908, Page 20

THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GAZETTE

An opinion is gaining ground in Wellington that the Mayor (the Hon. T. W. Hislop) will be a candidate for a seat in opposition to Mr F. M. B. Fisher, M.P.

A housemaid in one of the large boardinghouses in Hamilton, found a celluloid toothbrush in one of the bedrooms, which had been ignited by the sun’s rays shining through a glass decanter full of water.

The Napier Temperance Council has unanimously passed the following resolution, “In view of statements which have recently been made, this council wishes it to be understood that unless compelled to do so to ensure the contest, the temperance party will not be identified with any parliamentary candidate at the forthcoming election.”

It is reported that Mr W. Walsh has sold out of the City Club Hotel, Shortland Street.

An important point was raised by Mr Wilford in the Wellington Police Court lately, whein he submitted, during his defence of a man charged with sly-grog selling, that there was no such offence named in the Statute as that of keeping liquor for sale. On this point the magistrate reserved his decision, but on a charge of selling liquor without a license, he convicted and fined the defendant.

The London L.V. Gazette reports that out of 1133 samples of temperance drinks examined in 1907, 422 contained proof spirit in excess of the 2 per cent, limit. The highest percentage was 10.5 in herb beer, and 12.3 in dandelion stout. In previous years two samples of ginger beer had contained 8.3 and 9.5 proof spirit.

Measure for Measure. —First Toper (discussing Mr Asquith’s Licensing Bill): “Does he want to stop our beer?” Second Toper: “Not likely. If he do, ’ow’s ’e goin’ to get the money for our old-age pensions?”— “Punch.”

The many friends of Mr Jack Graham, of the Pukekohe Hotel, will be pleased to hear that he has quite recovered from his long and serious illness. Mr Graham was in town last week looking quite his old self again, and came in for many expressions of congratulation from numerous friends and acquaintances. Mr and Mrs Graham are proving quite as popular at Pukekohe as they were at Onehunga, showing that they are fully alive to the responsibility of conducting a hotel in first class style.

Thirty thousand hop pickers and 13,000 growers and labourerers from Kent, Sussex, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Hampshire, marched in a procession reaching two miles, bearing banners with strange devices, to Trafalgar Square. A mass meeting held afterwards, adopted a resolution urging the Government to impose a duty of forty shillings per cwt. on imported hops. /

It is reported that Messrs Silich and Son’s vineyard at Hukatere, has produced a fine crop of grapes this year, 1000 gallons of wine having been manufactured.

It is asid that some notorious hotel thieves are at present touring the Dominion, the recent robberies in Southern hotels showing that hotelkeepers will have to be extra careful with their money and valuables.

One result of the agitation over the importing of hops into England, is that the hop-growers and pickers at a recent mass meeting demanded a duty of forty shillings per hundredweight be put on imported hops. Mr Asquith ridiculed this demand, which he said was equivalent to 90 per cent, on raw material.

The opening of Parliament has been fixed for the 29th June.

Mr S. H. Whitbread (Liberal member for Huntingdon), addressing his constituents in regard to the Licensing Bill, said that as the Bill was neither moderate nor rational, he must oppose it, contrary to the pledge given to his constituents, and therefore he was prepared at any moment to resign his seat. Mr Whitbread added: “I am not a Chinese cheap labourer, and decline to be kept in a compound and let out to vote exactly as told.’ The Liberal executive of Huntingdon recently asked Mr Whitbread to resign his seat, but released him on his undertaking to vote for the Bill.

In the Supreme Court last week, Mr Justice Edwards delivered judgment in the case of Mr A. A. Smith of the Te Puke Hotel, against the Bay of Plenty Licensing Committee.

Last Thursday afternoon the first meeting of creditors in the estate of John Sainsbury, hotel-keeper, of Whangamata, was continued before the Official Assignee (Mr E. Gerard). There was not a quorum present. The Assignee reported that he had no full statement of the claims by creditors, the only claims presented beyond that of Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co., being two or three of from £l7 to £l9. Mr Hudson (representing Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co.) stated that, after deducting an assigned policy of £l7OO, his firm still remained an unsecured creditor for between £7OOO and £BOOO. The Assignee (who was appointed administrator of the estate by order of the Supreme Court), intimated he intended to advertise for sale by tender his right, title and interest in the hotel property and other assets, which he would dispose of at his discretion. “Some of the assets,’ he said, “appear to be disappearing.” The two creditors present (representing Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co. and Messrs W. Gunson and Co.), signified to the assignee their approval of the steps already taken by him in connection with the estate.

An outbreak of fire occurred in the Golconda Hotel, Coromandel, one evening last week. A mattress in the upper storey was destroyed, but no further damage was done.

A Dunedin citizen, fond of statistics, has taken the trouble to calculate which is the cheapest town in the Dominion. He made a list of household commodities, which in Dunedin he found came to £l. In Auckland the bill came to 19s lOd; in Invercargill to £1 Is; in Wellington to £1 2s; in Christchurch to £1 0s 6d; and in Napier to £1 4. He therefore awards the palm to Auckland, with Dunedin a good second.

Mr Frank W. Isitt fears that part of Taumarunui, being attached to Waitara electorate, might spoil what might otherwise prove to be a nolicense district.

Trying to tip a sack of malt into a vat of boiling beer, a stonemason named Hubert Digger, at Worcester, overbalanced, and falling into the liquid, was scalded to death.

In the Supreme Court at Christchurch last Friday, James Thomson was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for attempting to set fire to the cafe de Paris Hotel building last February.

Cigars have been made, says Tobacco, from tobacco grown in Regent’s Park in 1906-7 for the last International Tobacco Exhibition. “They are smokable,” the paper adds, “although a certain measure of patriotism and London pride is required to rise to the level of their aroma and taste.”

Somewhat unexpected, yet authoritative, evidence of the value of licensed property was revealed in Wellington the other day when the City Council decided to oppose the proposed transfer of the license of the present Occidental Hotel to new premises at the corner of Lambton Quay and Ballance Street. The Town Clerk, in a letter to the Licensing Committee, pointed out that as the City is the owner in fee simple of the premises on which the present Occidental Hotel stands, the estate of the citizens would be seriously diminished in value if the license were allowed to lapse. This would make it appear that the repeated allegations made by the no-license party, to the effect that property does not diminish in value by the withdrawal of a license, are not borne out by level headed business men.

One evening last week as Mrs Peck, wife of the licensee of the Golconda Hotel, was at the rear of the hotel, she noticed a glare of flames through one of the upstairs windows. She quickly gave the alarm. The fire, it appears, was caused by a flax mattress being on fire in a room used for storing bedding. It was quickly extinguished before much damage was done. The fire brigade was promptly on the spot. It is supposed that the fire was caused by rats, as a nest was found in the mattress. It is fortunate that the fire was discovered in the early part of the evening, otherwise it might have been disastrous.

Among the items in the returns for Customs and Excise for the quarter ended, March 31, the duty paid on spirits shows an increase of from £120,697 for the first quarter of 1907 to £129,971 for 1908. Sparkling wines duty has dropped from £1559 in the first quarter of 1907 to £1446 for the same period for 1908, but the reduction in the consumption of champagne has not been followed by a decrease in the duty on still varieties of wine. In the first quarter of 1907 the duty on Australian and other kinds of wine totalled £7995, for th esame period of 1908, the amount had increased to £9574. Duty on imported beers had decreased by £4OO. Cigars, cigarettes and tobacco duties increased in collection.

The Chief Constable of Manchester tells a queer story of a workman’s “unfortunate experience” with a policeman. The workman was absent from his work for a fortnight, and when he reappeared, his employer wanted an explanation. And this is how the man gave it: “Well, sir, a fortnight ago I had a great misfortune. I was going home along Street, when I found a policeman leaning against a wall. He seemed to be drunk, and I thought the best thing I coujd do was to take him to the Police Station. I did so; but the moment I got him there he came to himself and charged me with being drunk, and the magistrates believed him and gave me fourteen days.”

One of the tribe that imagine the possessions of sixpence entitles them to go into a hotel and take charge

of it, appeared before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., last Monday, to answer charges of disorderly behaviour in the Waitemata Hotel. Accused went into the hotel in an intoxicated condition and on being refused some beer, threw some liquor, and then the glass at the barmaid. His Worship said that this sort of thing had been too frequent of late, and he was determined to put it down with a firm hand. The conduct of the present offender had been cowardly and contemptible. Accused was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.

Messrs Gabriel Lewis and Thomas Davis, valuers and hotel brokers, notify intending purchasers that they have a number of properties on hand, particulars of which will be furnished to clients on application. The firm’s charges are moderate and they have long and varied experience in the broking line. Mr Davis will give his personal attention to anyone desiring the services of the firm whose record is first class. Clients would do well to see their lists.

Richard Cornish, late licensee of the Stirling Hotel, was charged at Dunedin last week, with having killed his wife on the Ist May. After some startling evidence had been adduced, accused was remanded.

Three men broke into the Masonic Hall at Dannevirke one night last week, and stole a. quantity of liquor. They were arrested at a deserted hut, four miles out of town, and a quantity of liquor found in their possession.

Although Invercargill is a prohibited area, the man who wants alcoholic refreshment contrives to get it in some shape or form, and the innocent looking temperance drink, in many cases fills the want. In that town the other day, it was discovered that the ginger wine being sold by several shopkeepers and boarding-house-keepers was above the alcoholic standard. Police proceedings are being taken.