CHAMPAGNE RIOT? IN FRANCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1081, 21 March 1911, Page 5

CHAMPAGNE RIOT? IN FRANCE.

GROWERS UP .IN ARMS. THE PRIME MINISTER BURNED IN EFFIGY. RED FLAGFLOWN. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (lice. March 20, 10.30 p.m.) Paris, March 20. The non-inclusion of the Department of tho Aulie in Ihe area in which cliampagno may lie manufactured has led to a widespread revolutionary outbreak. Revolutionary meetings have been held, in the Department, and a mob of 10,000 armed with hoes, and carrying grape baskets, made a bonfire of a box of tax assessment papers in the mal'ket-iilaco. The wine-growers declined ,(o pay tho taxes. The nlob afterwards effaced the mbtto "Liberie, Egalite, Fraternite," with red paint from the public buildings. Tho Premier, M. Monis, was burned in effigy. . _ Tho municipal councils in forty towns have resigned. The red flag has been hoisted in a majority of tho villages. THE NEW LAW. Tho French Government Bill for the certification and protection of wine manufactured from granes grown in the delimited Champagne region was" tabled in the Chamber of Deputies on January 30. In the preamble to the Bill it is oxplained (says "Tile Times") that the historic character of the sparkling Champagne wines and their reputation abroad arc in danger of becoming compromised by the practices of certain unscrupulous manufacturers who import into tho Champagne region wines of any and every brand, and convert them into so-called "Champagne," which they place upon the market, especially abroad, as tho genuine product. The protection of the genuine Champagne wine is rendered easy by reason of tho peculiar processes of its manufacture, and likewise by tlte fact that tho industry, is conducted only in a small number of centres. Since it is practically impossible to adulterate Cham» 9 pagno wine when once it has been''' bottled, it is declared to be sufficient to superintend and to isolate the genuine product, from the moment that it conies from the vineyard unlil it is nut into tho bottles. In order-to effect tliis purpose. a system of Stale control is lo bo instituted for tho transport of the wine from the presses of the growers to tho cellars of tho manufacturers, and the latter are to be bound to storo all "alien" wines in cellars which ere to remain' separate and distinct from the Champagne, cellars. A. tax of 5 cents a bottle, payable by the manufacturer, is to bo imposed in order to cover the cost of Stat® control. The regulations, a breach of which will be punishable by fines up to i .£2OO, are to come into force three months after tho promulgation of the law.