SLY GROG SELLING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 196, 6 December 1876, Page 2

SLY GROG SELLING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL.. Sir,—A detective is rip here for tie purpose of trying to put down the sale of liquor in private boarding houses, and other unlicensed places. Now, one word with regard to private boarding houses. The landlord of one has no more right to supply a Dottle of beer to his lodgers, than he has to sell liquor by the glass ; yet it would be rather hard on those who, like myself, prefer living in one to living in a hotel, to say that they should not have a bottle of beer at their lunch or dinner. I am perfectly well aware that hotelkeepers, procuring a license with great difficulty, and, when got, paying very dearly for it, feel aggrieved, and very naturally, afc the non-licensed men taking business out of their hands ; but the majority of the public are neither hotelkeepers nor proprietors of boarding houses, and therefore I think that majority should be consulted. The verdict of those who thought over the question for a moment would be that, in private establishments, 1 quor should be provided at meil limes, and that any in the shaps of wine or spirits, should be purchased by the boarders at some place in which the sale of such articles is legal. This taw, should it ever be enacted, would rarely be broken by the boarders themselves, for the simple reason that the sly grog knowing the risk tie runs, charges about, double price for everything in the liquor ? I <ne. Hoping you can find space iCv this in your columns. —I am, &c, BOAKDEE.