Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1893. Something about Beer.

Manawatu Herald, 22 June 1893, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1893. Something about Beer.

It is good news to learn that the Liberal Association of Wellington intend to ask the Government to introduce a Bill into Parliament making all agreements made by the brewers, binding hotel-keepers to purchase beer from them, absolutely null and void. This, for the poor man, is a step in the right directiou, as it is he that has mostly to put up with the inconveniences arising from the " tied " position of the publican. The poor man wants his hotel handy to him, as after a days hard work he has no fancy to walk further than is necessary. He fondly imagines that the Licensing Committee has made it a condition of granting the license, that good liquors are to be kept, and he therefore calls in to the nearest house. The beer is not to his taste, he desires some other brew, and is informed that none other than So--1 and-so's is kept. " Why don't you keep some other then " may be his inquiry, " well the fact is, this is So-and-so's house, and I am forced to sell just what beer he likes to send me," is the reply, if honest, he would get. In the trade this is well known and it appears is getting to be as well known outside of it too. It is a scandal, and a very great reformation would be effected if such a Bill was passed. But what about the poor brewers ? are they to be ruined ? Well we hope not and we would be inclined to grant them a certain time to arrange with their tenants, provided that . during the time freedom was given to the tenants to offer other brewer's ale for sale. The position that the brewers are taking up in the colony is worse than that of any large runholder, and the people who are in favour of public-houses being opened have as much right to be protected from a grasping capitalist in the shape of a brewer as the workingman has from a capitalist in the shape of a grazier. That the Liberal Association is beginning to understand this is certainly refreshing. The capital employed in the liquor trade soon increases and now is the time to move. In England it is said that from 100 millions to 150 millions are invested in the trade. It may be interesting to recal a few facts relating to the growth of the liquor trade. Heroditus ascribes the first discovery of brewing barleywine to Isia, the wife of Osiris, and a beverage of this kind is

mentioned by Xenophon 401 B.C. Bad habits being very catching we find that the Romans and Germans very early learned from the Egyptians the process of preparing a liquor from corn by Weans of fermentation. In England, in the laws of Ina> King of Wessex, alehouses are mentioned. In 728 booths were first set up and laws Aveve passed for their regulation. In Edward I's reign none but freemen were allowed, to keep ale-houses in London, so that we are now coming round to the opinion held by our ancestors in VAfrk Brewers seem to have bee« ftlways rich, as Stow mentions " one William Marie, a vkk malt man or brewer, of Dunsfcable, had two horses all trapped Avith gold " this was in HIL With ale, porter is also mentiened, and the mixture is said to have derived its name from being the favourite beverage of the London porters of 1780. The malfc liquors previously in use were ale, beer, and twopenny, and it Was customary to call for a pint or tankard of half-and-half— i.e. half of ale, and half of beer. In course of time it also became the practice to ask for a pint of three-thirds, meaning a third of ale, beer, and twopenny. To avoid trouble, the bottom of half the discoveries of the age, Harwood, a brewer, made a liquor which partook of the united flavours of ale, beer, and twopenny, calling it entire, or entire butt beer, meaning that it was drawn entirely from one cask. This reminds us that many peculiar names were in vogue in London a quarter ot a century ago, to distinguish different mixtures of ale, one, a favourite drink, but a most unkind indication, was called " Mother-in-law " and was a mixture ' of old, and bitter beer. Though we have mentioned these facts we are not advocating the too free use of any liquor, far from it, as there has been far too much misery caused by its excessive use. This, hewever, need not deter us in advocating the right of every man to obtain the best liquor at the hotels licensed to retail them, and we are convinced that a closer investigation into the purity of all liquors would lead to a great decrease in drunkenness, and even those who would rather people should not drink cannot desire to stand idly bye and see them poisoned. If the " tied houses " were abolished and real inspection of liquors instituted there would be a radical change in the publican's business.