MINERAL WATER TRADE.

Evening Star, Issue 3584, 18 August 1874, Page 3

MINERAL WATER TRADE.

In the ‘Norfolk News’ of the 16th May, is a report of proceedings at an inaugural dinner of a newly formed Trade Protection Association of Mineral Water Manufactures he»d at Yarmouth, at which members of the trade from London and the provinces were present. Mr D. i rake who. after proposing the usual loyal toasts, introduced the bus ness of the meeting, which consisted ol|their agreement to a certain number of rules which would be introduced to them by the '■onmuttee appointed to frame them. Mr Adams at some length dilated on the advantages of trade combination. Much opposition had been offered in various parts of the country to similar associations by licens d victuallers who at first imagined that some pecuniary hardships were to be imposed upon them in the shape of higher prices beino charged for goods serv. dto them, aII such fears were groundless, and ultimately the action taken by such associations was justified ana approved of at least by the more intelligent portion of the public trade. Ihe primary object of their meeting together that day was to assist each other in preventing the ruthless traffic in their property by persons who sent out juvenile agents sneaking round to the back doors of hotels and inns, taking bottles from any place in which t ey might be stored. 'lhe marine-store keepers were carefully looked after by the police, and were prevented buying many things only under great restrictions; but soda-water bottles, to which many of the authorities attached no value, were allowed to form one of the most profitable sources of income to them. In Liverpool, recently, it had beeu discovered that a marine store dealer had entered into a contract to supply an unscrupulous firm with 120 dozen secondhand bottles weekly, to supply shipping orders. The contract was being carried out, and the makers of Manchester, Oldham, Bolton, Ashton, and adjacent towns were being robbed to supply this infamous demand. He (the speaker) knew of no trade that bustamed more losses, or which was robbed impudently than was the soda-wafer trade, Qnr could he rightly understand the indifference frequently dsplayed by persons in judicial authority to the demands made on them for justice. Their trade had degene rated through the want of association, which reso.ved into bitter and reckless opposition that produced public dislike and [judicial indifference, but from that day forward he hoped that the “good time coming” had really arrived, and from the numbers present, and the interest apparently evinced by them m the business of tbe day, there could be no doubt that they would be considerable gainers at the year’s end, without causing any annoyance to their customers. The rules were, after a little discussion, unanimously carried. The Chairman proposed , Success to the Licensed Victuallers Associations of the Eastern Counties,” and remarked that to a very great extent the trade in which they were engaged was dependent on tbe facilities offered by the public trade for the sale of their drinks, and he thought that •very effort should be made to work in mutual harmony with each other. (Sear fiear.) He had uo doubt that the objects for which they had combined would, when known to the licensed victuallers of the d g trict, be fully appreciated, find any existing obstacle to the carrying out of their desires gladly and courteously removed.