THE OTAKI LICENSING BENCH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 33, 24 December 1880, Page 2

THE OTAKI LICENSING BENCH.

: — ♦ ■ TO THE EDITOR OF THE MAXAWATU HERALD. Sir, — Being a lover of justice, and having a thorough objection to monopoly in any jhape, I think it high time, when the voice of the people in the shape of a petition is not listened to, to turn to the only resource they have left — the pui>lic journal— where not only the people of the .settlement can hear what weight their opinions have in re spect of their own requirementn f but that the whole district should likewise be a judge. lam speaking of the decision of the Licensing Bunch of Otaki at their last sitting, when an application, made in due form by Mr Curmont, supported by a pbti. tion signed by tlireo-founhs of Iho ratepayers, for a second public-house, was utterly rejected. The Otaki Bench consists of 4 members: two laymen, .me ininister.and the R.M. It seem* to us settlors thai, so long as the clergy and the faculty have only one opinion, it is no use of the settlers having any at all ; because, as tho lion of the Free and Easy says, " Whoa I open my mouth, let no dog bark " We, as settlors and ratepayers/ think it high time that there should be an alteration in the members of the Bench, and, us the old saying is on

board of the navy, *' Every man to his station 1 ' — the clergy for the spiritual, the faculty for drawing teeth, and the settlers thefiisj^ves fW their awn comforts, and in regard of civility, combined with good ftitfeies. typw, Sir, with all due respect to life for iperdiip pi i cants, the settlers had no tibjeptioi's L 'to';.. > lheir having the liccAjee, wondering, ai ; tfe did, why our potitiiffip^ not granted, thinking it might have^oeen* porsonitl dislike or principle tlislilte. - Tlie ■ last applicant is amm wptUkiiown. Htfii has been in the colon}' thirty years; iiipublio business twenty years; is wellJkuown for his integrity and good principle^ ait^did some years ugo, iv Otaki, give up one licensed house, because it was hinted to him it was obnoxious to the Church. He was rejected by the Bench. Now, Sir, we settlers think it is high time our voice should be heard. . n .lf not, w.q shall liave recourse to higher authority, where, no doubt we shall get redress, and are determined to have two houses or none. I am, <S'Cj A Resii>bst,oi" Otaki. Otaki, December 21, 1880.