THE CUP THAT CHEERS

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 20 March 1919, Page 3

THE CUP THAT CHEERS

The Hon. Win. Earnshaw, I see, has been talking, at Invercargill, about "Bellamy's." He

said that in the famous Parlia-

mentary refreshment rooms either whisky or tea may be procured, adding, " and I venture to assert that for every glass of . whisky drunk there are 50 cups of tea consnmed, One man used to say to another ' come and have a glass of whisky.' Now he says ' come and have a cup of tea,' " It is precisely the same in ordinary, life. The" consumption of intoxicants has enormously decreased in Auckland, and I have no doubt it is the same

story in other places.

In this

city there are scores of tearooms, and if you want to know how they are patronised you should look in at a few of them between say 10.30 a.m. and 2, and again about 4or 4.30 p.m. They are then fnll of business men who are sipping tea. or coffee. A few years ago no business deal could eventuate without an adjournment being made to the nearest hotel-bar jfor whisky. That day has passed, If the deal is " wetted " to-day it is usually in nothing stronger than tea, "Commercials," of the modern school, have to conform to the new order of things, and

if a 'traveller' entered a business

man's office nowadays reeking of whisky the chances are that he w.ould not book a " line." Am I a teetotaller ? ITo, I am not. But I keep my eyes open, and I gee what is going on.