TRADE TOPICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1111, 27 July 1911, Page 21

TRADE TOPICS

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Licensed Victuallers’ Association is to be held in Christchurch on Tuesday, August 14th. The Auckland delegates visiting the City of the Plains for the occasion are Messrs. G. H. Foster and J. Molloy with, of course, the President, Mr J. S. Palmer. Some important subjects will engage the attention of the delegates, in addition to the election of officers and the reception of the report and balance-sheet. Mr James Wells, late engineer at Messrs. G. Fraser and Sons, has acquired Mr H. L. Littlewood’s interest in the Alexandra Hotel, Parnell. His many friends will join with us in wishing him success in his new venture. An important meeting of retailers is being held at the A.L.V.A. rooms this afternoon. Invitations have boan issued to every hotel licensee in the Province, and a big roll up of members is expected, the business being of unusual interest. Mr J. E. Hunt, licensee of the Globe Hotel, Papakura, has sold out to Mr J. Watt, late of the Matata Hotel. Prior to his departure Mr Hunt was entertained at a social gathering in the commercial room, and presented by Mr D. McLennan, on behalf of those present, with an illuminated address. Mrs Hunt was presented with a set of carvers. Eulogistic references were made to the guest of the evening, and a very, pleasant time was spent. We understand that the Freeman’s Hotel, Freeman’s Blay, is shortly changing hands. Since the death of the late licensee, his widow, Mrs T. Gray, has been running the hotel. Mr C. Watts is now on the eve of purchasing Mrs Gray’s interest in the property, and is likely to take over the license at the end of the month. # * * * Jack Cannot gives a new version of the diver story in “Jack and the Beanstalk ” but the effect is the same. To the man who wished that all the liquor was at the bottom of the sea, he replies, “Then I’d go and get drowned-” The diver, it will be -rem emhered, earnestly echoed the Temperance orator’s wish that all the liquor was at the bottom of the sea. The lecturer thinking he had gained a convert, was profuse in his expressions of delight, and equally disconcerted when the man who had applauded his sentiments dryly retorted, “But you see, sir, I’m a diver.” « We learn that Mr J. Robertson has sold out his interest in the Grey town Hotel to Mr E. Bushby, of Wellington. Visitors to the little township of Opunake will find themselves at home at the Red House with Mr Tommy .Knowles, whose geniality Is a house-

hold word through the North Island. Mr Knowles was formerly proprietor of the Terminus Hotel,- New Plymouth, impressing himself favourably on residents and tourists alike. * * * * Within a very short time now the compilation of the Barmaids! Register should be. completed. With the;, exception, of a very few all the. applications for registration have been disposed of by the Labour Department and not more than 30 now remain to be dealt with. It is anticipated that the work will be ended within the next 10 or 14 days, after which the list of registered barmaids will be ready for publication in the. Gazette. ♦ * * * The latest note in up-to-dateness is struck in Hastie’s Hotel, Feilding, which is replete with every modern accessory. It possesses five large sample rooms, so that the requirements of commercial travellers are specially catered for. Mr H. McManaway, who was mine host of the -A-rgyie Hotel, Hunterville, is the proprietor, and under his capable regime the house should continue to en joy a large measure of popularity with the travelling public. For sending a keg into Waihi without notifying the clerk of the Court in writing, Charles Birch, licensee of the Exchange Hotel, Thames, was fined 40s and costs 15s. The defendant stated that he had given the notification to another person to post, and evidently he had omitted to post it. For sending liquor into Waihi without labelling the same in terms of the Licensing Act, F. W. Robinson licensee of the Governor Bowen Hotel, Thames, was fined 20s and costs 7s. Mr J, O’Meara', proprietor of the Manchester Hotel, Feilding, is always ready with a cordial greeting to his numerous friends and acquaintances. This hotel is centrally and conveniently situated, and offers first-class accommodation to the travelling public. The sobriety or otherwise of defendant formed the subject of lengthy questioning of witnesses, during the hearing of a case in the Auckland Folice Court on Monday. A respect-ably-dressed man named Henry Robb was charged with drunkenness, and committing an indecent act in Upper Pitt-street. Both offences were denied. The man had been arrested, and two hours later he was examined by a doctor who gave evidence to the effect that Robb was then sober-Sub-Inspector Hendrey asked whether witness would put his experience against that of a sergeant of police, who dealt with drunken men every day. Witness replied that he thought he could tell when a man was drunk. The case lasted nearly three hours, and at the conclusion Mr Cutten, S.M., fined defendant £2 and costs. * * * In the N.S.W. Legislative Assembly a motion for leave to introduce a Bill to enable the local option polls to be taken on a day other than election day was talked out. « * * .K North Auckland hotels are by reason of wider land settlement becoming better known and more deservedly appreciated. Each week sees thousands of travellers en route to and from the city, and to them the comforts of a well-found and respectable hostelry are matters of considerable import. It is pleasing to report that high commendation is freely accorded to the whole of licensed houses in northern counties, and that the management of all is in the hands of capable publicans. The older-established houses are keeping pace with buildings of modern construction in the way of roomy accommodation and the care of guests is the chief consideration of the proprietors. In the Northern Wairoa district, travellers have all reason to be satisfied with the manner in which their wants are catered for, and this especially is the case in the Tokatoka Hotel, which for thirty odd years has carried on business- The house is now under the superintendence of Mr Edmund Hill, late of Papakura and Kihikihi hotels, and is noted for its high-class appointments. Mr Hill is an expert in his profession, understands to a nicety the requirements of his country customers, and is admitted by commercial travellers to be an ideal

boniface. Tourists and sportsmen are specially attended to,, and pleasureseeking visitors can be assured of high holiday if they place themselves in Mr Hills hands. • *... * The New South Wales Alliance has passed a resolution to the effect that liquor bars should be brought under ■the provisions of the Early Closing Act. At me Magistrate’s Court, Gore, on Thursday, Henry Baldwin was fined £5O for selling liquor on Coronation day, and was ordered to come up tor sentence when called upon for keeping liquor for sale. John Whittingham, brewer at Gore, charged on three informations with selling beer from a depot at Riversdale, for delivery in Gore 4 a no-license district, and for failure to notify the clerk pf

the Court of such sales, was convicted and fined £5 on each information, with one guinea costs. He was also fined £2 on each of three informations for failing to enter sales in his books, with costs one guinea. M 4 *° * The Whangamomona Hotel, owned by R. Campbell, the licensee being F. Calgher, was totally destroyed by fire at 2.30 o’clock on Tuesday morning. The hotel was insured for £lOOO in the Phoenix and £5OO in the Commercial Union. Insurances on the stock and furniture were ’’.bld in the Royal Exchange, but amounts are not known. » * * * “A saloonkeeper of good character is just as respectable as a banker or a grocer of good character. A bad banker or a bad grocer can do more harm than a bad saloonkeeper, but we are hot looking out for the bad grocer

or bad banker.” —Miss Grace Reed, Principal Willard School, Chicago. And for saying this the wowsers of Chicago tried to persecute Miss Reed, and failed. > * * ® According to statistics just issued in Paris, France ranks first in the consumption of alcohol, of which 32,000,000 gallons, or almost 1 gallon per capita, are consumed annually. * * Mr Chas. Burrell, proprietor of Gilmer Hotel, near the Tip-head, Greymouth, is doing splendid business. Situated in a quiet part of the town, near the beach and sands of the Bay, the house is a favourite with tourists, having been erected for a first-class semi-private hotel. Visitors to Greymouth who like a quiet house, combined with all modern con-

veniences and best of liquors, etc., will do well to stay with Mr Burrell, whose staff keeps the house in splendid order, and where one is sure to be comfortable.