ENGLISH DRINKING CUSTOMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1154, 23 May 1912, Page 20

ENGLISH DRINKING CUSTOMS.

Mr Joseph Ansell, a Birmingham brewer is an advocate of beer gardens (says the “Standard”). He would make them part of the life of the English people, just as it is with “Hans” in Germany, or with “Fritz” in the Tyrol. Or else Mr Ansell would

have our public-houses run on the cafe system, as “Jules” likes it in France, or “Emile” in Belgium. “So long as this country lasts, so long will the national beverage be drunk by probably 9 0 per cent, of the adult population, and the national beverage is beer,” says Mr Ansell. “But,” continues Mr Ansell “why should the Englishman not drink his beer under comfortable circumstances; seated at his ease, breathing fresh air, accompanied by his wife, perhaps, instead of, as is his present habit, indulging in perpendicular drinking?” In brief, Mr Ansell would reform the British public-house. He would have it built in such fashion that there would no longer be opportunity for customers to crowd at a zinc-covered counter and gulp down their beer or other liquid refreshment served by waiters from one bar, each customer to- be seated at a table, where he could drink at leisure, or otherwise, as he chose; and the drinking portion of e ach public-house cheerfully decorated beer halls, or beer gardens, when the weather permitted.

A new'and up-to-date hotel is to be erected at Tokatoka (Northern Wairoa) on the same site as the existing hotel.