TIED HOUSES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3213, 28 June 1892, Page 2

TIED HOUSES.

At the adjourned meeting of the Auckland East Licensing Committee lately held in Auckland, when dealing with the question of the renewal of the license of the Provincial Hotel, Mr Inspsctor Broham, in answer to the liencli, stated that during the time the last tenant had been in the house the hotel had been conducted very satisfactorily. He saw no reason why these great monopolies should be helped to flourish, and was no advocate of great combinations. If the reduction of public-houses tended in any way to stop the vice of drunkenness, he would like to see very considerable reductions, but the stamping out of such houses as tho present did but help t) create huge monopolies. V* hen he was here some twonty years ago there was only about half the population, and about double the number of licensed houses. These were, in most instances, the property of the individuals who carried them on, or at any rate of individual owners: but now nearly all the hotels were owned by large combinations. The present tendency seemed to reduce the number of houses further and further as the population continued tu grow. He was satisfied that these reductions had no effect on the amount of drinking done, and that this would not decrease if all the houses were wiped out, for drinking Rhanties would bo quickly raised to take their places. We entirely concur in the opinion of Mr Broham. Twenty-five or thirty years ago there was scarcely what is known as a "tied house" in Auckland and suburbs. By a tied house we mean a house owned and run by a brewer or a spirit merchant ns owner or lesee. For some years past, in order to secure the trade, almost all the licensed houses in and aronnd Auckland have been acquired by the brewers and spirit merchants. The result of this has certainly not been in the interests of the general public. The nominal proprietors of these houses are usually tnen of small means, and of indifferent reputation who can just scrape j sufficient together to get into the houses. ! They are bound to take their supplies from the proprietors at prices frequently in excess of the market rates, as has been brought to light by recent squabbles between parties so situated, and of a quality certainly not at all times of the best. This must be so, to allow of such enormous premiums being paid for the privilege of supplying such houses, as has been reported in the law Courts during the last few months. Lambing down, indifferent accommodation and bad liquor are the natural sequences to such a state of affairs. In our opinion it would decidedly be to the benefit of the general public to return to the days when every house was free, when the proprietor was directly responsible to the authorities and directly interested in retaining the reputation of his house. There is a remedy in the hand of licensing committees and we should like to see it applied. Simply notify to those interested that after a certain period licenses would not be granted to any public house owned or leased by f. brewer or spirit merchant.