local Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 760, 10 February 1870, Page 3

local Items.

English Mail.— The better portion of the English Mail arrived in Napier overland by Cobb’s coach yesterday afternoon. The newspaper portion will arrive per s.s, Rangatira, hourly expected. Escape from Prison.— We have to record the escape of three prisoners from the Napier jail on the night of Sunday last; the circumstances showing great cleverness and determination. The prisoners were all <• old hands,” undergoing punishment for horse-stealing Their names were Henry Williams, John Campbell, and James Gavan ; the first of whom had been sentenced to ten, the second to seven, and the latter to four years’ penal servitude. By some means or other they had contrived to reach the ceiling, in which they cut a hole large enough for their exit, communicating with the belfry. This piece of work must have demanded great patience and perseverance, having apparently been effected with a small knife. The escape from the •bftlfty was moro easily managed. There must evidently have been a complete and well-organized plot, as though the men were in prison dress and barefooted, no trace of them, so far as we have heard, lias yeS been discovered by the police. Da. Carr gave the last of his series of seances on Monday evening, The phrenological, portion was fully as interesting as usual; no fewer than eleven gentlemen submitted to examination, and great care was shown by the doctor in defining the various develop menents. An additional attraction was presented, several natives having volunteered to be mesmerised. The illustrations with the Maoris were very striking, one in particular, who resisted the Doctor while pretending to be under his influence, being suddenly amazed at finding his feet immnveably fixed to the floor. Those who are sceptical as to the existence of the mesmeric power must be very credulous in believing the extraordinary theories by which it is sought to be explained away. Napier Debating Club.— The usual fortnightly meeting of the above society, in accordance with advertisement, took place on Tuesday evening last, Bth instant, in the old Militia office, Emerson-street, — the question for debate being, “Is the traffic in intoxicating liquors a proper subject for legislative interference 1 ” For the affirmative it was argued that though legislative interference with legitimate trade and occupation- was always objectionable, the liquor traffic had never been recognised as legitimate, its conditions and effects ha\ing always differed from those of any other trade. The history of English legislation on the subject was adduced, showing the restrictions which had been from time to tim* imposed upon it, and it was stated that the result of any relaxation had always been the great increase of drunkenness and misery. The effect of alcoholic liquor on tho systems of drinkers proved it to be a poison; it destroyed their moral sensibility, and excited and inflamed their animal propensities, being thus the chief source of crime. The traffic was a source of public danger, every member of the community was in some degree a sufferer from its effects, and therefore the public, for their own protection, had a light, if so inclined, to demand its suppression. The social reforms in this direction had been almost entirely due to the efforts of teetotalers and prohibitionists; the attempts which had been made to reduce intemperance by other measures had never been attended with success, the failure of the late agitation in Canterbury being cited as the most recent instance. The results of prohibition in American States which had adopted the Maine- Law were referred to, and statistics quoted showing the decrease in those places of crime and pauperism. The testimony of a committee appointed in 1849 by the Ge neral Assembly of the Church of Scotland was cited, stating that “the intemperance of any neighborhood is uniformly proportionate to the number of its spirit licences.” The Permissive Bill was adverted to sas the most perfect form of legisla-

tion on this subject yet deviled, as it was left entirely to public opinion ’in each district whether the traffic there should be put down or not, thus ! effectually preventing any prohibitory measure being forced upon an 'unwilling public. A testimony in its favor was quoted from a speech by Dr Temple, the new Bishop of Exeter (a non abstainer), at the great Alliance meeting of the 19th October last. For the negative it was urged that those who advocated restriction were too bigoted and too foolish ever to do any good; that alcoholic liquors were necessaries which the public would obtain in spite of any law to the contrary ; that restriction would infallibly increase drinking by the antagonistic feeling it would produce; and ihat secret drinking was a far greater evil than open drunkenness. It was stated that the Maine law had been an utter failure, and that the statistics to the contrary were compiled by interested parties, and could not be depended upon ; that the most effectual remedy for drunkenness would be the encouragement of the consumption of Australian v inos; -Legislative restriction was condemned as an infringement of personal liberty, and therefore an ini my to the public. The reply having been given, the question was decided in the affirmative, less than one-third taking the negative view. Nearly all those present took part in the debate, and the meeting broke up at a late hour.