THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1882. LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2514, 28 April 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1882. LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

The principle of fostering of local industries by moans of bonuses is objected to by many people as- unsound. It is held by such that any industry which will pay will force it 3 way into existence without a bonus, and that spurious industries are likely to be fostered for the express purpose-of securing the bonus, or at all events that these latter arehelped into existence by an unhealthy stimulus. People who hold these views would be much bettor satisfied to see all raw materials used by local manufacturers allowed to enter tho colony entirely free from duly. However, tho Government has committed itself to theprinciple of giving bonuses, and as they have dene so it is as well that they should carry the thing through thoroughly. It is satisfactory, therefore, to note that bonuses have been offered for two industries whioh it is trusted may acclimatise themselves in this country. A bonus of £SOO has beea

offered for the first 25 tons of batter and the first 50 tons of cheese produced in a factory worked on the American principle which shall be exported from New Zealand and sold at such prices ia a foreign market as shall show that the articles are of fair quality. The establishment of such factories is without doubt a great desideratum in this country. It is well known that they have worked very satisfactorily in America, and have not only saved the farmers there an infinity of trouble, but have brought the butter and cheese of that country into high repute. The various shipments of cheese and butter which have left New Zealand have not, as a rule, turned out well. The articles have been sent with no special knowledge of what is required in material for export, and the buyer in England has no guarantee that what he purchases is of uniform excellence. This latter point is of great importance. With the establishment of butter and cheese factories, the English importer could always obtain an article of a level quality. With skilful management such factories should turn out articles second to none of the class in the world.

The second bonus we have alluded to ia one intended to foster ostrich farming. A bonus of £5 each is to be given for healthy ostrich chicks landod in New Zealand, the number in any importation to bo not less than ten or more than fifty. Ostriches would no doubt thrive well in the north of the North Island. It is a fallacy to suppose that they prefer deserts to live in. It has been proved at the Cape that they do exceedingly well on well grassed farms, and it is probable that they have been only driven by man to seek refuge in the arid regions where they are now principally to be found in a wild state. They can, says the " New Zealand Herald," stand a considerable amount of frost, if they have plenty of food, and although they have not answered particularly in Victoria, it ia supposed that this is principally owing to the want of green food during a large part of the year. Good breeding birds can be bought now for between £4O and £BO apiece. They breed at between four and five years old, but are in full plumage at between two and three years old. The value of their feathers of course varies very considerably with the fashions of the day, but for the matter of that so does the value of very many articles that are none the less cultivated or manufactured on that account. Ostrich plumes are indeed intrinsically so beautiful, that it is unlikely that they will ever entirely go out of fashion. Their value may fluctuate, but there will always be a market. We trust, therefore, that ostrich farming may acclimatize itself in the North Island. On tho principle that it is well to have as many strings to one's bow as possible, the establishment of this new industry would be a gain to the colony.

SUPPLY OF LIQUOR TO DRUNKARDS. At the Police Court in Auckland the other day, the Resident Magistrate gave judgment in a curious case connected with the supplying of liquor to a person against whom an order had been issued that he should not be supplied with drink. The facts of the case were as follows : —A prohibition order had been issued by the Resident Magistrate in Auckland, forbidding publicans from supplying John Waymoutb, junior.with liquor, or any person procuring it for him. Clause 167 of the Licensing Act, under which the order was made runs as follows : " When it shall be made to appear in open court that any person, by excessive drinking of liquor, misspends, wastes, or lessens his or her estate, or greatly injures his or her health, or endangers or interrupts the peace or happiness of his or her family, the Justices presiding in such Court shall, by writing, under the hand of any two such Justices, forbid any licensed person to sell to him or her any liquor for the space of one year, and such Justices, or any other two Justices, may at the same or any other time, in like manner, forbid the soiling of any such liquor to the said drunkard by any such licensed persons of any other city, town, or district to which the drunkard shall or may be likely to resort for the same." Now the order in the case of J. Way mouth, junior, was not made a general ono, but its operation was confined to certain therein specified licensing districts. Waymouth went on board a steamer with a friend named Maxwell, who knew of tho prohibition order, and the latter procured from the holder of the present license liquor, which he gave to Waymouth. Tho packet was plying, and was of course outside of the districts mentioned in the order, but the prosecution against Mr. Maxwell took its stand on clause 169, which runs thus— " Whenever Justices shall, in execution of the foregoing provisions, have prohibited the sale of liquor to any such drunkard, if any other person shall, with the knowledge of such prohibition, give, sell, purchase or procure for or on behalf of such prohibited person, or for his or her use, any such liquor, he or she shall forfeit upon conviction, for every such offence, a sum not exceeding five pounds. 1 ' The prosecution held that the words we have italicised, " any other," covered Maxwell's case, inasmuch as the penalty attached to all persons with knowledge of the prohibition throughout the colony, quite apart from the geographical limits of the districts to which the order itself was confined. It will be unnecessary to go into the argument of the whole judgment, involving as it did the possibility of orders confined to certain specified licensing districts being valid by reason of the rendering that might be put on the first part of the clause 167, because the prosecution was mainly upset on the ground that where a principal can do a thing, the agent can do the same. As the Resident Magistrate said, " I think everyone must agree with Mr. Maekechnio (the counsel for the defence) as to tho absurdity of making a go-between liable where the publican would not be." The owner of the packet license could have supplied Waymouth with liquor with impunity, because he was outside the districts mentioned in the order. Maxwell was his agent, bringing the liquor from him and giving it to Waymouth. Consequently, tho Magistrate held that the provisions of clause 169 did not apply to him, because the words " any Other " must be taken so as to avoid an absurdity. The case was, therefore, dismissed. It may be added that his Worship ref U3ed to allow costs. If' tho defendant, he said, had only asked Waymouth in to have a drink, or to pay for a drink which he had, the case would be different: bat Maxwell evidently went on the spree with Waymouth, and knew of the order which had been made.