The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUG. 16, 1905.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1534, 16 August 1905, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUG. 16, 1905.

PROHIBITION AND SLY-GROG. A stir has been caused in the South by a- special commissioner’s independent investigations at Ashburton, a man for whom Mr Isitt declares he has a great liking and respect, though of course he does not agree with the findings. The paper engaging the commissioner, the Lyttelton Times? is credited with having had a leaning towards prohibition. The report is a very long one, covering the whole field, and giving statistics as to the ctual position. For the information of our readers, we quote the first section of the article in full So much has been written and spoken about Ashburton since its residents declared themselves in favor of nolicense in 1902 that the bulk of the people of the colony know very little about the place and the new conditions. Confusion, merely, has come out of so much cluttering. So many figures have been thrust before the eyes of the general public since prohibition was carried that the public has shut its eyes, and has either taken everybody’s word for everything, or nobody’s word for anything. The public looks upon figures with the cold, threatening eye of suspicion—so many politicians have used figures to prove nothing. The public wants to be told things quietly and in a manner that it can understand, and to this end the Lyttelton Times sent a special commissioner to Ashburton. He had never been in the district before, he knew nobody living in it, he belonged to no creed or party, he was too young to have sympathies—all young men are pessimistic—and too old to be misled. . A Wellington journalist, he was brought from the Parliamentary press gallery especially to study the position in Ashburton untrammelled by the policy of the paper or suggestions of its controlling mind. Finally, he had no instructions regarding methods; therefore he did as he pleased and hero are the things he saw and heard, and discovered, and understood. Asburton town is one of the cleanest and sweetest to look upon in the colony. Anybody who argues otherwise has not seen the place. It is not thrown together as if it had dropped out of a balloon, like so many towns in New Zealand j appear to have arrived. It is not out at the elbows, land it is not ragged. Everywhere it breeds an air of respectability, and to speak of the town as a brand plucked from the burning is just a mere raving for effect or an effort at sarcasm. Prohibition advocates speak freely of the old, wioked days of license, when the town could count up its drunkards with the best of them, but surely those departed topers could not have been the resij dents of Ashburton itsolf. They must have been strangers from various points of the compass who had come to the district, and found temporary work with the farmer and the squatter —men who could not be inflated with the respectable atmosphere of Ashburton town—just guzzlers—men who would drink beer at an altar. No; the Ashburton Residents were not plucked from the burning they merely followed the destiny of their environment. The difficulty of the

destiny was that the law clamped it down very hard, and the coldness of the clamps, and the legal interference with the person, repugnant to all the British stock, has set a very considerable number of the people thinking that their peaceful environment was was after all a hi'ding-place for, whips which they had not bargained for. The harness of the law does not fit the Ashburton team by a long way, and there is a good deal of kicking over the traces. The real and true answer

to the question as to how prohibition has affected Asburton is that there is no answer at all yet, at least there is no answer for the general question. There are answers available for phases of the result of prohibition-or rather no-license but the general effect muss remain unknown for a long time. Asa matter of fact, it is only about a month ago that no-license was actually enforced —the Ashburton Club was not closed until the end of June, consequently a large section of the community bought its liquor over the counter, as it did in the days before the no-license flood swept the public - houses away. Another and more important reason why the result of prohibition cannot be gauged for some time is that drinking has not ceased, and in some respects it has

increased. If tho famous and much abused clauso 9 of the Liopnsing Act of 1904 had boon made law, as proposed by tho Premier, an answer might havo beon found to tho question of what prohibition had douo for Ashburton, but clauso 9 was thrown violently through tho Parliamentary skylight, and who wants liquor in noliconso Ashburton gets as much as ho 1 plonsos. Tho placo is full of it. Tho act gives permission for anyone to bring into tho prohibited area ono gallon of boor or a “quart of spirits daily, hut do not make a mistake and think that a man may only bring in one singlo gallon or ono single quart at a timo. “Tho only thing to bo romomborod,” said ono gontloman to tho pressman, “is not to make it too deadly.” It is almost undoubted that tlioro is far more liquor scattered over j Ashburton to-day than was ovor concentrated in tho club and hotels at .anyone, timo during license. Men keep liquor in their offices where before they never thought of doing so. There is liquor imported to homos where formerly it was never kept. Whisky is carriod by some men. in their pockets. And whatever the returns from the railways show as to tho amount of liquor imported into tho district, they give no true idea of the actual amount of liquor reaching the people. It is brought in in so many ways that the authorities have no tally of it. It is brought in as personal luggage ; it is sent to the boundry and transported, into tho district by carts, and. there are other ways. In tho backyard of ono business man’s premises in the town of Ashburton there was ono pile of 1300 dozen bottles, or 15,600, that contained beer, whisky and stout, collected in the town by one man in five and a half months, and there was another pile of 6000 whisky bottles collected by. ono man in three months. So much for th t. Now hear something about liquor that is sold illicitly. The newspaper man took nothing for granted. He was informed that there was plenty of drink to be purchased at any amount of sly grog-houses, but he went to .buy it for himself. Within half an hour of his arrival he had [several places pointed out to him where liquor could be obtained, and he selected the most dirty first. A greasy room, a slatternly woman, down at heel, and possessing a scowl that not only lowered her face but seemed to lower her whole body. One felt that her knee-caps were illplaced. A slouching man with a greasy hat and a dirty board. “Town’s quiet,” said the pressman. “ Yers,” said the man. “ And dry,”, added the visitor. “ Yers,” said the man again. A child squalled in another room—perhaps it had seen water, and feared to be washed. It squalled bitterly, until the woman went away and attended to it. Judging by the way it squalled after that she must have attended to it with a clothes prop or a horse shoe. The man with the dirty beard lit a pipe, and by-and-bye, having satisfied himself that the newspaper man was not a pitfall for the unwary, ho produced whisky—at least, he said it was whisky. It tasted like i liquid dynamite. In another place , that night the .visitor purchased a bottle of case whisky for seven shillings and sixpence. The seller in this instance ' was a scared man. The sale was tran- • sactod behind a locked door, and the i cork was drawn by the light of a cigarette. At still another groggery beer was purchased. The seller was ' in his stockinged feet, and one of his big toes stuck out [and demanded at--1 tention to the dirt it had collected to itself. “ Getyerbeerdown! "snapped the man so quickly that it sounded like the name of a Eussian admiral. “ Wantanother ? ” he asked. “Well, yer better get out,” he said on getting a refusal, and the pressman got.. During the newspaper man's stay in the town a house was raided on a Saturday night about 12 o’clock. The police got into a room where there was a cask of beer and several children asleep. No case, of course. Liquor is known in Ashburton as “ Bovril," and it is a frequent thing to hear men say to one another. “Had a bovril this morning ? ” or “ Care for a bovril ? ” and nobody will get tired walking to where “ bovril ” is kept.

Mr and Mrs W. D. Lysoat return from Wellington this morning. From to-day the trains will run to and fcom To Karaka as usual. At two o’clook this afternoon Messrs Bain Bros, dispose of Island oranges, mandarins, lemons, and bananas. “ Soiled gloves ” is the heading of the Tomuka leader’s article for which the New Liberal Party is proceeding for libel. A Dunedin telegram announces the death of Mr Henry Clark, of Clarksville, aged 85, formerly a member of the Education Board and Land Board, Mr Charles MaoMahon arrives by the Victoria this afternoon for the purpose of completing all arrangements for Miss Fitzmaurice-Gili’s dramatic' season, commencing at His Majesty’s Theatre on Wedneseay next, 23rd inst. Mr E. M. Smith has made his reap* pearance in the House after his illness, and the Hon. W. C. Smith, who has also been seriously ill, is expected to get about during this week. The Mission service at St. Mary’s Cburoh was well attended last evening, and there is good reason to believe that Fathers Clune and MoDermott will be very successful in their work in this district.

Miss Allan notifies the ladies of Gisborne that she has commenced daily olasßes from 10 to 12 and 2 to 4, and on Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9. Special arrangements will be made for ladies residing in the country to suit trains. Further particulars may be obtained from Miss Allan, Good’s buildings. The system is spoken of very highly by the many who have taken it up. At the annual meeting of parishioners of Turanga Chnreb district, held at Wae-renga-a-hika on Monday eveniDg, tbo following vestry was appointed : Messrs Kempthorno, TeitjeD, Woodward, Coir, Ellis, Hyland, Sberratt, Perry, H. H. Wall, and Rev. E, Jennings. The following woro to be asked to aot as represents-

tives in their respective districts : Mossra Image, N. Shaw, Powell, and 0. Parkinson. The Rev. Mr Butterfield nominated Mr R. Sberratt as his ohurohwardeq, Mr Charles Gray was elected people’s churchwarden. yotes.of thanks wero passed to Mr Ellis for his services at the organ, and to the Sunday-school teachers. Mr Butterfield reviewed the work of the past yoar. It wa9 hoped that before long the districts would bo able to support another clergyman,

At a meeting of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board reference was made to the question asked by Mr Baumo •in the House of Representatives as to the number of deaths in Auckland Hospital from June, 1904, to June, 1905, and askI ing whother any, and if so how many, I deaths were due to defective drainage, A report was read from the secretary of the medical staff, stating that the deaths in the hospital during the specified term were 162, and that none of these wore due to the defective drainage of the institution, It was decided that the replies of the honorary staff be sent to the Inspector of Hospitals. Mr Davis took exception to the question that had been asked by Mr Banme. “ It seems to me,” he said, “that Auckland Hospital is a fair target for shots from everyone. If Mr Baume did not know the exact position he should have known. I deplore his action in the matter.” Mr Garland spoke in the same strain. Mr Bloomfield said he oould not agree with Mr Garland that there had been a storm in a teapot over the drainage of the hospital. Whatever Mr Baume’s object, it would, in his opinion, have been better if the Board had not said anything,

The voting on tho Kanaekanao bridgo loon was 63 for and 4 against.

Tho usual fortnightly donco of the Povorty Bay Rowing Club will bo bold in Whinray’s Hull to-aight, commencing at 8 o’clock.

Tondors nro oallod by the Doputy Asßignoo for tho purokuse of tho plant and general stook in-trado in the estate of Humphreys and Son. Mrs John Cooper, Waoronga a hika, who avrivod in tho colony in 1859, passed away peacefully on Monday night at tho ago of 81 yours. Tho docoasod lady wus greatly ostoomod by old rosidonts.

Mr Mason, of the Auckland firm of Messrs Mason and McNab, monumontal masons, arrives from Auokland by tho Victoria this afternoon to mnko arrangements for tho erection of tho Captain Cook obelisk on Haiti Hill.

A Bpooial entry for Messrs Dulgoty and Co.’s sale to-morrow is twolve springing hoiforu. They are well bred, vory quiet, and are to oalvo in a few days. Tho business of tho Borough Council was concluded at half past nine last evening. Leave of absence was granted to Or Lysnar, who bad gono to Wellington to attend tho Harbor Boards Conference.

Tho Salvation Army Biorama Company brought their Gisborne season to a dose last ovoning before a crowded house, many again being unable to obtain admission to | tho thoatre. A splendid programme was j submitted, and was received with much enthusiasm. The omnpauy leave for the South by the Victoria this eveoing. At Dunedin yesterday an unusual oase was hoard, a man being ohargod with driving a vebiole in front of an electrio tramoar for a quarter of a mile. The prosecution contended that the whole tramway service was delayed as a result, and that suoh practices wero too common, and would probably end in a fatal accident. Accused was fined 20s, and costs 265.

Upwards of £3OO was taken by the j Biorama Company during their Gisborne season. After defraying expenses the balance will be devoted to the self denial funds and ba credited to the Gisborne I branoh. Brigadier Albinson, who is in oommand of the Wellington division, >said that next to the Empire city Gisborne this year comes next in the matter of contributions to this fund, an announcement which was received with warm applause. Mr D. R. DeCosta has effected the sale of Mr W. A. Spurrell’e Wharekopae property, 1069 acres, to Mr R. G. Jollie, of Waimata ; also 32 aorea of Mr 0. Gray’s Waiohika flat to Mr F. G. Sharp, and the Central Mart, Gisborne, from Mr W. T. Raymond to Messrs G- Miller and Craig. Mr DoCoßta has a number of choice town and suburban properties for sale which should well repay the attention of investors and speculators. 1 Groat interest is being taken in the fight, for championship honors between the West End and Kaiti-City senior football olubs. There will only be the one match in progress at the Victoria Domain on Saturday next, as the junior matches have been concluded. West End will be without the services of Kelly and Carr in their next match, but will put a formidable forward combination in the field. Kaiti-City will require to show better form than they exhibited last Saturday if they expeot to hold their own with the present retainers of the Banner. It is safe to prediot a fast and exoiting game. Major Perry, of tho Salvation Army Biorama Company, has arranged at one o'olock this afternoon to take a series of kinematograph views depicting the landing of Captain Cook on the Haiti beach. The services of a number of natives and Europeans have boen obtained, and a picture representing the jgreat navigator’s first visit to Poverty Bay will be secured. Members of the Cook Memorial committee are requested to attend at the Haiti beach at one o’clock this afternoon. A general invitation is also extended to the public to be present.

The members of tho Salvation Army Biorama Company were entertained at tea last evening by his Worship the Mayor and Mrs Townley, and the visitors were loud in their praise of the hospitality extended to them. The Biorama band played a number of selections on the lawn at Mr Townley’s residence, and a short musical programme was also given in the house. The Mayor, in an appropriate speeoh, highly eulogised the excellent work done by the Salvation Army in uplifting the fallen and distressed of humanity. He wished the Biorama Company every success during their New Zealand tour. Major Perry suitably responded on behalf of the company.