TRADE TOPICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1056, 2 June 1910, Page 20

TRADE TOPICS

A prohibited person obtained drink in a most ingenious way at one of the Te Aroha hotels, says a correspondent of the “ New Zealand Herald-” He disguised himself in a Druid’s beard and boldly walked up to the bar. The drink was a costly one, however, as he was subsequently fined £3, with the alternative of 48 hours’ imprisonment.

Messrs. Richardson Bros., of Feilding, have an announcement in our advertising columns. Having recently taken over the Manchester stables, clients may rely upon receiving the best attention at the hands of the new proprietors.

Miss Pearl A. Billings is said to be the youngest hotel woman in America. Several years ago she inherited the lease, furnishings and goodwill of the Newberry Hotel from a cousin. By good management Miss Billings has made it a success without a bar, a thing which the hotel men of Chicago told her would be impossible. Of the fifty employees less than one

dozen are men. Miss Nell Billings, her cousin, is the manager, and there are women book-keepers and clerks-

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, who have recently taken over the Cosmopolitan Hotel at Westport, are well known in the trade, having been connected with a comfortable hotel at Crushington for some five years. They are universally liked and respected. They take a pride in conducting their hotel business on strict lines, and in keeping the best of everything for their guests and the general public.

In the paragraph which recently appeared in these columns concerning the Empire Hotel at Greymouth, the name of the proprietor was erroneously stated as “ Bevine.” It should have read “Beirne-” The mistake, a typographical one in the first place, escaped the eye of the proof reader, and we now trust Mr. Beirne will accept our expressions of regret at the mistake that occurred.

During the past three years the Licenses Reduction Board closed 320 betels (says a Melbourne message), the compensation for which was borne by the trade, amounting to £150,000-

A shocking fatality is reported from Lyttelton. Mr. R. Richardson, a wellknown resident, proprietor of the British Hotel, was killed by falling from the 4.30 p.m. train from Lyttelton to Christchurch on Monday night He was standing on the gangway between two carriages, lost his balance, and fell on to the track, and was cut to pieces.

Mr. Keller’s Hokitika Hotel has a well-deserved and wide reputation for catering for the tourist and the better-class trade. Both the New Zealand and Australian Commercial Travellers’ Associations have entrusted their certificates with Mr- Keller, who is also fortunate in arranging everything for the tourist with a line of coach proprietors and motor launch proprietors for trips to the Glacier and Lake Kanieri and other places of interest. The house is most extensive, with comfortable dining-room and commercial and writing rooms and private suites, and the cuisine is excellent. Mr- Keller enjoys the confidence of the travelling public in every respect, and conducts his hotel with credit to himself and staff.

We understand that the Albion Hotel, Patea, has been taken over by Mr. C. Vogel, who was for some 20 years in the service of the Gear Company at Wellington. Mr. C. Diamond, the retiring licensee, has been in possession of the Albion Hotel for three years, during which time he has earned the cordial esteem of a wide circle of friends- His departure, and that of Mrs. Diamond, will be greatly regretted-

The Club Hotel, Greymouth, which faces the Quay and the shipping of the port, is quite a different house to what it was prior to Mr. Alex- Lennie’s proprietorship. Under this gentleman’s regime the house has become very popular, and is voted one of the best-conducted hotels on the West Coast. Now one can rest secure and comfortable, well fed and cared for, and Mr. Lennie, who is a good fellow and also a good sport, takes special pains to please all patrons of his house and to see that'everything runs smoothly at his hotel; and the tariff, which is only 5s per day, is really worth double that sum- Mr. Lennie’s only hobby is racing, and in this connection he is the fortunate owner of several well-known horses, which have turned him many an honest penny, and we wish him luck with both his hotel and horses.

At the Auckland Police Court, a half-caste Tahitian, Baron Delovey, was fined £5O for illegally selling beer.

Mr. S. F- Amer, of the Marton Hotel livery and bait stables, Marton, announces through our advertising columns that he has recently purchased a 12-15 h.p. Clement-Talbot car, which is at the service of his patrons. Trips can be arranged to Foxton, Feilding, Palmerston North, Wanganui and Hawera- Mr. Amer is a skilful driver, and thoroughly understands the mechanism of his car.

“We hold that the evils of intemperance are due fundamentally to social conditions, to low wages, bad housing, lack of public meeting places, and, above all, to the profits that flow from the private ownership of the means of manufacture and distribution of intoxicants. We believe that the solution of the liquor problem is to be found in improving the living and working conditions of labour and in the destruction of the profit element in the manufacture and sale of liquor.” —Resolution of the Socialist party of Chicago.

A house which is doing a large share of the better class trade in Christchurch is the Clarendon Hotel, so picturesquely situated on the banks of the Avon, and yet only. a stone’s throw from the Cathedral. Many friends of the members of the Federal Club,

'which, nearly adjoins the hotel, are patrons of this fashionable resort. Mr. D. Collins, the popular proprietor, is an Englishman of wide experience in hotel management, and this fact is at once discernible in every department.

That prohibition has failed to decrease the consumption of alcoholic beverages is clearly shown by the United States Commissioner’s report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909, In twelve years over one-third of the United States, geographically speaking, has gone “dry,” and during these twelve years the production of distilled spirits has increased over 10 0 per cent.; it will scarcely be contended that the population of the United States has increased 100 per cent, in twelve years, therefore the pro rata consumption has also increased. — Captain Smith, of the National Model License League.

The advocates of the prohibition law, when chided with the fact that these laws do not lessen drunkenness nor prevent crime, answer that neither do laws against murder prevent the taking of human life. No attempt has ever been made to prevent murder by forbidding the manufacture >or sale of the weapons by which murder is committed. Legislation against murder is directed entirely against the unlawful use of the weapon. The law against murder is the result of the wisdom of the ages, and has accomplished its purpose far more successfully than have the prohibition laws. Then, why should not those persons who would reduce drunkenness and its attendant evils to a minimum, follow the theory of the criminal law by punishing the improper use of the article, rather than seek to prevent its manufacture and sale? —Captain Smith, at National Model License League Convention.

The imports of wine in March from the various wine growing countries of the world totalled 1,507,628 gallons valued at £518,263 which compares with 1,330,343, of the value of £461,837 in March, 190 9. France sent more than all the other countries put together, namely, 503,828 gallons of the value of £315,983. Of this quantity, champagne figures for 17 7,464 gallons of the value of £251,837. This does not include Saumur, which increased from 11,506 to 14,668 gallons. Portugal sent 353,399 as against 321,164 but there was a decline in both Spanish red and white; ;he imports of the former amounted to only 18 0,940 gallons as compared with 2 30,223. Germany’s shipment increased from 94,963 gallons valued at £27,722 to 104,484 of the value of £33,835; and Italy sent only 3 6,184 gallons as compared with 32,271. The Netherlands and Algeria also sent more, but the shipments from Medeira declined from 3,724 to 2,965 gallons. The Australian wine trade shows up exceedingly well, the imports having risen from 66,54 6 gallons valued at £11,050 to 137,420 of the value of £2 2,879. This Colonial wine industry (remarks the L.V. Gazette, London) would undoubtedly receive a great filip if the Government would only grant preferential treatment and this will come if the Unionists are returned to power at the next election.

A laugh was caused at the Royal Commission the other morning, says the Ohinemuri Gazette, when Mr. Asher Cassrels was giving evidence. Witness was telling about the depreciation of his property, including the Criterion Hotel. When Mr. Myers came to cross-examine he asked if witness attributed the depreciation of the value of the hotel since 1907 to the flood or to the drought. The sally was immediately recognised in Court, and there was a general laugh.

Referring to the recent test case to determine the responsibilities of vignerons in no-license districts, says the “Wairarapa Daily Times” So far, there are but seven hundred acres of vines in 'New Zealand, yielding crops which may be worth £200,000 per annum. This is not a large sum, but it constitutes a local industry of a decided value, and the bulk of the money is spent in labour. The community generally approves of this industry. There have been no scandals in connection with the sale or the distribution of the excellent wines it turns out, and on moral grounds there does not appear to be any reason for objection. Mr. Lamb and his fellow vignerons whose vineyards are in or near prohibi-

tion districts have been kept in a state of suspense for the past six months. They had heard of the legal kink, and did not know whether it would compel them to give up their vineyards and start the world again with some other occupation. All has ended happily, but a body of respectable and industrious settlers ought not to be subjected to worries of this kind when they are building up a local industry. We should not have referred to this question only that it has absolutely nothing to do with the broader issue of License and No-License.

While a case under the Licensing Act was before him at the Masterton Magistrate’s Court Mr. C. C. Graham, S.M., mentioned that various perfumes contained alcohol, and were consumed by sections of the public. Eau de cologne was particularly fancied by some people. The question was raised by counsel whether the sale of eau de cologne in lesser quantities than two gallons was permissible in a no-license district.

The Dominion Private Hotel, at Levin, bettei' known as Cheeseman’s Hotel, was severely damaged by fire on Tuesday, the diningroom being gutted and the kitchen and some bedrooms practically destroyed. The occupants had barely time to get out of the building, having to grope their way through dense smoke. Both building and contents were partially insured.