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Dunstan Times, Issue 373, 18 June 1869, Page 2

The deputation of Licensed Victuallers tv Inch lately waited upon His Honor the Superintendent, asking his assistance towards putting a stop to the present pernicious system of “ sly grog selling” did not meet with that satisfactory solution of the difficulty which their case deserved. It is not likely that the holders of Publicans Licenses will combine together in the expensive process of maintaining a protective force of their own, by paying a band of informers to patrol the country and invoighlc into the meshes

of the law by hard swearing or otherwise, all those guilty of selling “ sly grog, ” leaving out the legal expenses which would doubtless be incurred in securing convictions. Such a course is not only inconsistent viewed as a business matter, but utterly repugnant a* a social one, and no practical good could come from it. His Honor might just as well have argued that, it was the duty cf everyone having property in his possession which might bestolen,tokeepa policeman constantly on those premises and at their own cost. We will allow that the publi cans are an undesirable class of tradesmen, but at the same time they are a social necessity in the present state of society, and where their business is a legitimate one are equally as worthy members of society as any other pur veyor of consumable articles His Honor’s suggestion that the General and Provincial Governments might combine and take united action in the matter of suppressing the dealer in illicit spirits, was a mere ruse to get rid of the difficulty. The Generaj Government have p’enty upon their hands in suppressing the mutinous Maories, and as the Province receives the revenue derived from Publicans Licenses, they would undoubtedly recommend that the Province should deal with the difficulty. The publicans contribute in the shape of license fees very largely to swell the Provincial revenue; the granting of a publican’s license is in fact tbc granting of a monopoly in the shape of a right to do a certain thing, and all those who pay the large sum annually demanded of them to secure the right to sell spi rituous liquors by no means outstrip the boundaries of propriety by asking that what they have paid for might be given them. Sly grog selling is the curse of the goldfields, from it, springs every evil which afflicts society, and yet the'authorities take no notice of it whatever, and we should say, x-ather seem to encourage illicit tradilig in grog than otherwise. That in this matter the law should be so openly defied is much to be x'egvetted, the Provincial Government are not powerless to grapple with the difficulty, they only require the will to do so.

The Escort on Monday last took down the following quantities of gold;— Grom tv ell 59 loz; Odwt. Clyde GOloz. 13dwt. Alexandra 3340z. 7dwt. Blacks 5280z. Odwt. Dunstan Creek 3570z. 13dwt. Mount Ida 817oz. Odwt. Total ... 3,2290z. 13dwt. The river Molyneux is conducting herself in a most reasonable and decorous manner, slowly but surely approaching winter level. The vast amount of snow that has covered the mountains for some time past all along has been a pretty sure indication oi a hard winter. The weather we have been favored with of late has strengthened all former indices, and we may almost unhesitatingly prognristi&tte a favorable scason’for dredge-owners and all others engaged in extracting gold from the bed of the modern Pactolus. It is with regret we have to report the swamping of one of Mr. Siedleberg’s dredges, the one at Hartley’s Beach, and also of another between Clyde and the Hospital. We hear that an action to recover damages will bo brought by Mr. Siedleburg against Mr. Grant, of Cromwell, therefore we refrain from giving current any of the rumors that have reached us. The amounts netted by the Clyde, Ala bama, and Galatea Dredges during the past week completely put in the shade all former yields. The shareholders of one of the boats, after paying expenses, pocketed over 100?. per man, and the others, we hear, were equally as fortunate.

The Auckland Herald states-"-that three hundred and fifty pounds of stone from the L(jng Drive Claim at the Thames Goldfield yielded 1185 ounces of gold, being at the rate of three and a half ounces of gold to the pound.-

On Monday next the 21st instant; will bo sold by Mr. George Pache, that well known property, the Butcher’s Creek Hotel, situate at Butcher’s Gully, together with the household furniture, horses, pigs, cow and calf, four wheeled waggon, blacksmith’s tools, i'C.

Tho English Mail, via Suez, closes at Clyde on Sunday July the 4th. We have been favored by Vincent Pyke, Esq., R.M., with the return for the Duiistan District of the number of cases, ‘criminal and civil, brought before the Court during the year 1868, and which We publish for general information : W!>oo gcoc'-'! S " g, £ "* 3 *3 3 3 ~ £ :: : a (DOllf--) B I—ll c 00 ® ® O u O Ot ji P>a £ 2 hs 3 hj K O £- MMa c> -! a | * ° OO ° |- | cL ” O g oco 4** 2 cc g 3 * ot-oi-s § K % ST O5 - 05 m m a; *- 00 CSS 3 O M. I- 4 *“* >— l B W Or t—< O O rt- tO bO lO Ci CO CO p O Ci <* (JO o c 3 pTotal number of cases heard : Clyde, 174; Cromwell, 12G; Alexandra, 112; Black’s, 109. A meeting of gentlemen desirous of forming a company for the purpose of manufacturing sugar from beetroot, was held in Christchurch, some time since. The labor question absorbed most of the attention of the meeting; but it was shown that although the manual labor employed in graving boot on the Continent was paid a low rate of wages, yet that no machinery is there used, and that in consequence of mechanical appliances being available here, and heavier crops being produced, the difference almost of raw material need not become a barrier, especially since the market price of the manufactured article is more than 100 per cent in favor of the manufacturer in this country. The meeting was adjourned for further informa tion —Southland Times.

The Tuapeka Times says;—“ Mr. J. L. Gillies is at present in this district. His mission, wc believe, has no reference to the Beaumont Hundreds, his object being to make some satisfactory arrangement with the run holders in regard to the covenant blocks.

We have been given to understand a private meeting of gentlemen interested, was held during the past week, at which it was resolved to start a boiling down establishment in the District, and that Mr. W. Fraser of Earnscleugh Station was elected to proceed at once to Melbourne to make arrangements for the necessary plant. The necessity of an establishment of this description has been growing more apparent every season during the past few years from the enormous increase in the flocks, and very trifling consumption. At length our squatting brethren see that an outlet in one shape or other must be made, and boiling down they consider to be most profitable. We believe it will be startfed by a Joint Stock Company, and that a number of shares will be taken up in Clyde.

The new stone Town Hall at Clyde is rapidly progressing towards completion and is beginning to bear some slight resemblance to what it appeared on paper; it will doubtless be. a very handsome structure and will entirely eclipse any edifice on the goldfields, whether Government, Municipal or Private Wc are happy to say it is already having the desired effect of stimulating individuals to follow in the steps of the body Corporate, and erect for themselves substantial and fire proof buildings. Mr. Hawthorde of the Clyde Hotel has commenced building a large stone stable at the rear of his extensive premises, and we hear that several others are contemplating ~ sonie change or other in their establishments. The contractor speaks confidently of being able to harp over the building within the prescribed Tt is generally unBall will celebrate the -oyemng. /The Ballarat Star of the 20th ult., says :—“ Bishop Jehtier, who, for his strong Ritualistic tendencies, has been Refused by the Church of England diocese of Dunedin as their Bishop, arrived on Sunday from New Zealand, His Lordship is on his return to England, where he Will prohUbly bd speedily appointed to a living. The Bishop, landed from the Alhambra at Queenseliff, and spent the few hours lie remained in Victoria at the parsonage, and preached at St. George’s in the evening. Ho proceeded to England by (he Goclong on Monday mUrning.

To counteract the depopulating policy adopted by the Government, the people of this District are beginning to take active measures; among tho various schemes afoot to develop the resousees of the country, and induce settlement, we hear that a party of gentlemen have applied to the Government for a set of boring apparatus, and that arrangements have been made with Mr. J. Holt of Clyde to undertake the management. From the genbral knowledge possessed by Mr. Holt of mining in all its branches and likewise of the district generally, wo have no doubt but that success will attend the efforts to discover payable gold in the Dunstan Flat, where ™ it is intended first to use the rods.

By our advertising columns it will be seen that, at Alexandra, a Court will be held on Friday, the 2nd proximo, for the revision of the Citizens’ 8011. All claims to be placed on the roll and all objections must be lodged with the Town Clerk on the 28th and29th'inst. respectively At Clyde the Revision Court will be held on Thursday, the Ist. Mr. George Fache requests us to draw attention to the Sales by Public auction on Tuesday and Wednesday next, of the valuable farms situate in the Wai Keri Keri Valley, likewise the whole of the farming implements belonging to the same, together with a large quantity of oats, wheat, carrots straw, &c.—(See advertisements) The Suspension Water Race, Blacks was sold by public auction on Saturday, the 12th instant by Mr. D. C. Courtney, Bailiff, to satisfy certoin judgments for debt obtained against the Company. The race realized 320/. and was bought by Mr. Minton, store keeper, Blacks Township. Asa proof of tho poverty of the Provincial Government of Wellington, it is stated by the Independent that the police in that province have received no pay for four months, so that “the constables are obliged to live upon credit, and suffer : 11 those inconveniences which result from

empty pockets.” An instance of the high rate of wages still ruling in Dunedin in some trades, is tobe found in our advertising columns to-day. We observe that Mi-. George Cornwall advertises for bricklayers, “ for a long job,” at the handsome wage of 20s. per day.— Daily Times, June 14 We have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the first number of the Colonial Hansard for the present Session, also a number of parliamentary papers, relative to the introduction of Salmon, Imperial troops in Hew Zealand, Public Accounts, and other matters of interest.

Oar Magistrates have been engaged dealing with offenders against the Licensing Ordinance ; in one instance, the fine of twenty shillings was inflicted, the other case was remanded till to day in consequence of the witness for the prosecution being incarcerated for three days for contempt of Court, through appearing, whilst in a state of iutox ication to give evidence.