Untitled

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 816, 25 August 1870, Page 3

We take the following from the Mel" bourne Herald ;—" Photograph him, and take him away," it is suggested should be the sentence pronounced by the Magistrates on all inebriates who may be brought before them. This hint has been thrown out by a correspondent of a London journal, and the plan advocated is that every drunkard should be photographed, and . then a copy of hi 3 portrait forwarded to evjry publican in the city, with the notification that should drink be supplied to the in lividual photoed, the publicans will have to pav the penalty for so doing. The publicans would, in course of time, supposing the hint were taken, have a beautiful s t of portraits to adorn their bars—in fact they might in course of time, paper their walls with likenesses of the lovers of strong drink. The suggestion, though we fear, however striking, is not likely to be adopted, though we have no doubt that the operation of being photographed would prove in some cases a stronger deterent from getting drunk than the fine of five shillings and costs. What would the magistrates do with the man whose photo* graphic cartes were in every public house already ? Would they re-photo him and >end him round a second time? They might give orders that anyone found drunk a second time should be photographed a second time and order that this picture should form a companion to the first. Beyond this stage we know not what could be done in the way of ornamenting the hotels and holding up to public gaze the man incapable of keeping Bober. There is one objection to this scheme of punishing the drunkard, and it is this--What is there to hinder some wicked spirit of mischiof from getting copies of the portraits multiplied of some of the most virtuous of our citizens, and sending such round for exhibition in the various bars ? We might find, Borne day, that such an ardent temperance man as even the Hon. W. M. K. Vale, or Mr Burtt, or even Matthew Burnett, might find themselves held up as shocking examples to every dramdrinker in Melbourne. We behove that one of the American States has a plan of taking the likeness of every man who ia charged with drunkenness-, while he is in a state of intoxication, and these are exhibited in public, so that publicans might be warned against selling drink to the original of the portrait, and the transgressor be shamed out of his drunkenness. Melbourne would supply a varied selection of portraits, and perhaps if a drunkards' portrait gallery were formed and everyone brought up at the police court, convicted i of being drunk, were taken and then sent to form part of the collection of portraits, it might, at least, lessen the beastly sights that are often to be seen in the streets of this city.

f It; is not often that Bank shareholders are cheerful under such depressing circum* stances as those which have visited the Commercial Bank of Australia. A Melbourne telegram says—" Commercial Bank losses, sixty thousand pound shares (six hundred pounds paid up), only selling at three pounds thirteen shillings. Share* holders, however, are cheerful since the uew manager has been appointed." Mr Draper, the defaulting accountant, Las certainly given the confiding shareholders a " taste of his quality." £a"00 shares fallen to £3 13s. Ic will take the new manager a long time to make up the difference, and to regain public confidence m the Bank,