The Globe. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 885, 26 April 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1877.

The City Council seem to he greatly exercised as to the proper disposal of the Market Place. We quite agree with those who oppose the erection of a market thereon, feeling sure that as in other cities it would he a dire failure. In Wellington, for instance, a very commodious one was erected Avbicb has never yet boon occupied for the uses it was intended. But while this is so we can hardly see why the Council should have any great difficulty in utilising this site. Some little time back there was considerable discussion as to the erection of a Town Hall and city offices. Though opposed to the erection of such a building when doing so meant spending £35,000 for a block of land, we do not for one moment deny that it is necessary, The present edifice is neither remarkable for its beauty of architecture or convenience, and as the business of the city is growing, a more commodious building will be required. Another reason is that in all probability the Government will at no distant date establish here, as in Dunedin, a Mayor’s Court, where minor offences can he dealt with to the relief of the already much overburdened Eesident Magistrates’ Court. Therefore wo shall have doubtless, shortly to contemplate the erection of a Town Hall. Under these circumstances it seems to ns that no better site could be found for it than the Market Place. It is centrally situated, and the building—-if any taste whatever he manifest in its architecture —will take away the bareness, and to some extent the feeling of division between two portions of the city, which now exist. All the necessaries for a building such as the one we are referring to seem to he provided for here, and no better use could be made of what otherwise will remain waste ground. Having the site, the erection of a town hall will be easy. The John Law of the Council —Councillor Hobbs —will, no doubt, be able to evolve a scheme of finance by which the building can be erected at an infinitesimal cost to the ratepayers. \Yc commend the matter to the consideration of the Councillors, feeling sure it would be far better to have a town hall on the site mentioned than to pay a fabulous sum for one even less central.

A xew batch of Justices of the Peace has been created, and the ranks of the great unpaid largely augmented. But while the list grows larger the attendance of justices is more and more intermittent. In the absence of the Resident Magistrate there is very great trouble in securing the necessary two Justices. Officers are sent forth to scour the city in every direction, and at last return in trumph with a stray Justice or two unwillingly brought from their business. In the meanwhile the public are the sufferers by having to wait until the dispensers of justice arrive. The remedy for the evil is easy. Let the Justices for the district meet and arrange a roster for the year, by which two of their number will be in attendance at the Court daily. It may be that their services will not be required, but it ensures the prompt transaction of public business. Those to whom the functions of a J. P. have been entrusted have accepted the discharge of a public duty, and should therefore be ready, even at slight sacifice to themselves, to fulfil it. The system we have alluded to is in force in other provinces, and works well. We trust to see it introduced here so as to prevent the great loss of time and inconvenience to the public which is now experienced in the absence of the Eedsient Magistrate.

From what has recently transpired it appears that the police are about to commence —or have already done so — a crusade against the vendors of watered milk, We have already more than once drawn the attention of the authorities to the fact that there exists in our midst places for the distribution of liquid poison. But it seems that rather than deal with what is daily sapping the health and morals of the people, those whose duty it is to take steps in the matter prefer to institute prosecutions for the harmless mixture of water with milk. Day after day circumstances become publicly known, whicji show conclusively that

the trade of retailing adulterated spirits is in full swing amongst us, and is carried on with impunity. It is this which fills our asylum with lunatics and our gaols with criminals. Yet, forsooth, we are content to allow the vendors of deleterious liquors to go scot free, but run to earth the wicked milkman, who uses artesian or river water with his commodity. If things are as publicly stated and we have no reason to doubt it—the time has long since arrived for vigorous measures being taken to find out the real culprits. Once let them be made an example of, and the effect will be most salutary. As matters stand now, however, the trade in doctored liquors goes bravely on —so much so that it is a hard matter to obtain the genuine article. Temperance orators, and others, bewail the prevalence amongst us of drunkenness, but we feel sure that, were the matter investigated, it would be found due more to the vile quality of the compounds called spirits, than to excess. When one hears of men, in their senses, after taking one glass of liquor becoming stupidly, helplessly drunk, it certainly does seem necessary that steps should be taken to bring the Adulteration of Tood Act rigidly into operation.