ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 648, 18 September 1874, Page 3

ALEXANDRA.

{FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) September 15th. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, held here on the 14th inst., the only case of importance was a charge against a publican for not having a light in front of his premises after nightfall. The criminal admitted the charge, and, in extenuation stated that on the ’light in question he was confined to bis bed through illness, and his boys had neglected to light the lamp. The Bench, under the circumstances, inflicted the mitigated penalty of ss, and costa. This is the third conviction of this kind that has taken place lately, and the prompt and energetic action of the Police in the matter is calculated to strike terror into the hearts of evildoers ; and will prove to those wretched criminals—the publicans —that the Police are quite capable of upholding the majesty of the law, and that the perpetrators of such horrible crimes will not escape punishment. On the afternoon of the same day, within sight of the Court-house, and possibly at the very time that the above important case was being enquired into, the bouse of Mr John King, on the west bank of the Molyneux, near Golden Beach, was broken into and a quantity of wearing apparel, bcd-clotbes, &c., stolen from it. It appears that Mrs King had occasion to go to Alexandra, and before leaving she locked the place up, leaving the key with her husband, who is work ingin M'Elroy’s claim, out of sight of the house ; and when Mr King returned home from his work in the evening he found that the window had been forced open, and the place completely ransacked for plunder. This is the third time Mr King has been robbed. On the first occasion a large quantity of clothes, which iiad been bung out to dry, were stripped from the clothes line. On the second occas’on th« house was entered during the absence of the inmates, and a quantity of clothing, provisions, and some articles of jewelry were stolen ; and now the thieves have stolen almost everything worth taking that was left in the house. There is a certdn class of people who, commenting on the above circumstances, inveigh bitterly against what they term the namby-pamby legislation to which we have been subjected at the instance of a parcel of fanatics and old women. They say that—“ The Government collect customs’ duties on intoxicating liquors, and issue licenses to legalise the sale of them, and then employ an army of stalwart men whose whole duty appears to bo to prowl about the different public houses ready to pounce on any unfortunate publican who may be guilty of some almost unavoidable infraction of the law, until the name of Policeman has become almost synonymous with spy, and informer. And if the Government earnestly believe in the evils connected with the sale of intoxicating drink, they would act in a far more consistent manner, by simply prohibiting the sale or importation of intoxicating liquor, and thus purge themselves from the offence of participating in the profits of the traffic. Or, on the other hand, if the Government deem it advisable to continue the trade, why should the whole Police force be engaged in a lively persecution of the publicans for following their lawful callin'* * In any case, if a common-sense view was taken of the question, the Police would lie enabled to return to their legitimate duties, namely, the preservation of the peace, and the protection of the lives and prnpbrty of the people.” I merely quote these remarks to show what unreasonable arguments some people use ; they do not consider that private interests must be sacrificed to the public good, and that in the interests of public morality it is highly necessary that the Police should stringently carry out the provisions of the Licensing Act. I understand that it is Mr King’s intention to abandon his house, and endeavor to got one near the claim, an that he can einstantly keep his eye on the house while at work; and, although it does not say much for our boasted state of civilization that a man should lie hunted from his home hy a series of bare-faced robberies, the perpetrators of which arc unpunished, and likely to remain so ; still, it is a source of intense gratification to be assured that the Police are attending to their duty, and that publicans will not be allowed to let tbeir lamps go out, or to sell a glass of grog after hours with impunity. No, these are crimes calculated to upset the very foundations of society, and must be put down by the strong arm of the law.