The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, 21st APRIL, 1865.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 255, 21 April 1865, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, 21st APRIL, 1865.

Unprecedented in the history of the Province is the presentstate of commercial depression, and this too at a period of the year when we usually find a certain impetus given to trade, being the dose of the wool season. There, seems to be actually no money in circulation, and one and all are loud in their complaints of the dulness of the times. If there he any exception to this general depression, it is to be found in the alcoholic trade, The recent meeting of the Bench to consider applications for licenses (reported elsewhere) has irresistibly drawn our attention to the matter, for we find that in addition to the corps of publicans already established, there has been no less than four new applications, of which two seem to have been granted without a demur ; and though there is an evident unwillingness on the part of the justices to grant the other two, the fact of an adjournment shows a luck of decision on their part that bodes anything but good. However, in the fact of this adadjournment for the expression of public opinion, we are glad to find the princip'e of the Permissive Bill recognised, and we do trust that the public will give expression to an opinion that will justify the Bench in checking the spread of a business so prolific cf evil, of which we have of late had only too many examples.