A DIGGER'S PROLOGUE UPON FOX'S ACT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1852, 13 July 1874, Page 2

A DIGGER'S PROLOGUE UPON FOX'S ACT.

[to the editor.] Sir— Observing that Select Committees of County Councillors and others are getting up an agitation as to whether it would be desirable to amend the existing licensing laws, and knowing that the assertions or arguments used are not impartial, with your permission I would like to attempt to show that in some respects the law is not so bad as the agitators would have us believe, and might become a great boon to us diggers if properly administered. If my few remarks should make out that the la w^ instead jof being too restrictive to suit gold-fields townships, . is on tha other hand far too liberal, ! I believe I shall deserve the thanks of many an unfortunate who, through the inducements offered them to become publicans, leave off obtaining a living by some other honest induet — rie. Some of the Pro'-in-cial Councillors now in favor of taking away the few restrictions provided by Fox's Act, Baid, when seeking election, that any grievance diggers had to complain of would always be removed by petitioning. In the year 1852 or 1853 " gambling " on the Californian Goldfields (through a certain influence exercised over the law-makers) became as great an evil, and interfered as seriously' with the fair trade ' of the country as shanty-keeping is now doing in Westland, and there a . miners' petition was actually presented to the authorities, asking that certain restrictions should be put upon : gambling, as • they were being all robbed — with ;equal justice a similar petition might now be sent to their " other ; worships " — the Select Committees of Provincial Councils, praying that restrictions may be put oh shanty keeping; or we will be all poisoned no doubt, the reply would be similar in both cases. t; Why do you gamble, &o.1" or "Why do ye patronize publicans?" There, unfortunately for us^ : the Californian gold digger had the . advantage, for he could live without them; but any one here can point out tea .miles of country on the New Zealand Gold-fields, where, with maybe a single- honorable exception, a loaf of bread or a pound of beef cannot be bought without patronising a publican. Many diggers in New Zealand were living in hopes of the facts of the case becoming so- glaring to the law makers, that they would follow the example set by the Calif ornians, and restrict the publicans as the Ualif ornians did the gamblers. The present agitation shows how we have been deceived. ; But why restrict them 1 " Not surely on the score of morality;" says the " Parson j" although we might point to the inconsistency of the authorities who, upon moral grounds, closed the dance houses, where we were in the habit of having a little rational digger's amusement, bef coming now subservient to a baser and more dangerous class. : ; It is -usual to cry down a public servant who, through the report required by the present Act, prevents improper persons obtaining licenses ; bub we know that the cry ia raised by interested parties, or those under their influence. Officers may thus be deterred from doing their duty, especially when 'they see the clap-trap i 3 being , submitted to by their superiors. How many of the holders of licenses on gold-field townships abuse their. priviliges ia, alas ! too well known ; and anything like a ' truthful account might bring the -"*-- T^ 0 ". those__West Coast lords of the "Spigot/* . ~ \ I find it is not possible, in the limits of a letter to point out all the benefits that might accrue to the miners by an intelli-j gent administration of the new Act, bull the chief of these benefits would be : the creation of a better class of publicans.! The absence of really disinterested men 1 amongst us,, fitted to lead a movement of; the sort, has prevented a Counter-agitation being got up among the miners in favor of the Act, but " what's everyone's business' is' no one's business," or petitions would; have been got up on this subject long ago.} Diggers, as a rule, are not fond of. teetotaldoctrines, nor is it necessary i;o apply themin testing the question. Whether Select; Committees and journalists are acting wisely in endeavoring to convert by Act 1 of Parliament a number of pachyderma-: tous individuals into "licensed victuallers"! who by nature were 1 intended to adorn; the end of a bullock-whip or short-! handled shovel. I I am, &c, „ : A Registered Fossioker. New River, 4th July, 1874. j