HOTEL COUNTER LUNCHES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 3

HOTEL COUNTER LUNCHES.

(Fboy Ovb Own Cobbespohdent.) AUCKLAND, August 25. The counter" luncheon has been threatened in Auckland during the -past few weeks, but for the present at least it has been decided .that no concerted, actipn shall be taken to abolish, or mocjify .it as was proposed. The Auckland Licensed Victuallers' Association had .the question before it, and it was decided thai the annual general meeting of the association should be allowed to deal with it. It is stated $hat a good -many of the licensees are , in favour '<ii the abolition or modification of "the~ lunch. In conversation with a reporter, one licensee said ifr was estimated that the hotels of Auckland were paying £50 per day for counter luncheons. There seemed to be a danger that the lunch which had v suoh a 'modest origin might ultimately evolve into that philanthropic institution known in Chicago and other American crties, where for five cents (2£d) one could obtain a sumptuous banquet, even to olives, with the attendance or a waiter thrown in. There was another aspect to the lunch. It was encouraging an undesirable class of customers in the hotels. "We do not grudge our patrons all they care to eat," said a licensed victualler in Queen street, " but we do object to feeding all the loafers and ' dead beats ' in town, to the detriment of the ordinary catering business." . i