Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 22, 1898. Prohibition.

Manawatu Herald, 22 September 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 22, 1898. Prohibition.

The public who attended the meeting on Tuesday night had the opportunity of hearing the views of the Prohibition Party put before them by one of their leading exponents. The facts were given fairly and temperately and were evidently fully believed io by the speaker. The only jarring note in all that was said by the Rbv. Frank Isitt was aimed at the editors of newspapers, who, from some idea, he imagines have other than public reaHons, for not upholding his views. For our own part, whilst ever ready to advocate the cause of temperance, we have not yet been able to support the viewa of Prohibitionists, and we cannot help thinking more permanent good might be quicker obtained by the Bupporters of law and order joining forces to compel the Government to enforce all laws fairly and honestly, and thus gain a better inspection of the licensed premises in the colony, than for an admitted minority to endeavour to secure the accomplish tnent of its own views, regardless of tbe present demoralisation aa to the carrying out of certain public duties. That evils exist in some licensed premigog is not to be gainsaid, anymore than that evil acts are committed every day in tbe colony by persons who are not publicans. 'That the licensing business is most unsatisfactory is also pretty well acknowledged/and the reason that it is rd i? not far to seek. The present Government intend to retain place «nd power for as long as they can, and the only way to be successful in this object is to placate the strongest voting power. It has been said, and unfortunately we fear with too much truth, that Mr Seddon simply holds power by the help of the brewers. If there is just cause for this state' meat;, and the history of the licensing business makes it look as though, there was, the Prohibitionists would do better to let their principal object rfist for a time until men were returned to Parliament ohosan for ■heir uprightness of conduct and honesty of purpose, than for reasonß they ai'e now so freqnpntly. The brewers seemingly puffed up with their power and might are working in the oauao of the prohibitionists a great, detil more than they think, as the instances of continual conflict; with the law, tbe ignoring of the Statute relating to tied houses, are driving people to vote for "no license," who otherwise would prefer to ape well conducted and free houses open in the towns. In this district, we have had instances of tha outrageous driving through the licensing Acts in the case of the removal of (he license from Manakau to Levin ; we have hpard of licensees being reprimanded by the Committee, yet allowed to take up licenses else where ; we have Been a moat respected magistrate refuse to certify to a man's character fora license which has been granted at once by a magistrate in an adjoining district. We have also had the instance of the Lawless case where our Stipendiary magistrate refused his certificate of fitness, yet, in a ahorb time, for some unexplained reason, granted a certificate. All these thing 3 ctuse tbe thoughtful man to ask how such things oan he, and the result arrived at is, that there is some hidden pressure going on which has yet to be made public and done away with, before oar licensing legislation will be of the "lightest use. The tale told in the Police Commission means that promotions and appointments were made by political interest, and this opinion having been held by constables, it. goes without saying that the overeight of licensed premises was slackened as it was understood that brewers objected to have their profits in any way curtailed, and that they had tbe ear of the Government. We need a more honest adminis. tration of our laws before we can fairly pay they are of no use, and we cannot see why it should not be possihle to legislate that a fair protection should be granted to a licensed publican so that he could provide the accommodation that i« needed, sod yet not be driven to do things which are distasteful to all right minded persons, so as to pay his way. Good laws, however need good lawmakers, and judging by the accounts whiob have been published of the conduct of some members of parliament it is impossible to expect men of this utamp to make good laws. Even granting that every member of parliament was not only sober but also attentive to his duties, the great evil of all, that of government interfering in the interests of candidates at election, must cease, before a truly independent parliament reflecting the. wishes of the electors, can be scoured.

Thomas Vipond Proctor, blacksmith Wellington, applied for his discharge, on Monday in Wellington which was grantivl, the Official Assignee stating that U was a case purely of misfortune the debtor having been turned out of a hotel it Palmerston under a bill-of- ! sale. The takings of the hotel had not come ;»p to expectations. A sovery storm, accompanied by a heavy fall of hail in Victoria has swept the c juntry from Portland to Mabo. Many buildings Were Unroofed or i damaged and trees destroyed. The hailstones lay to a great depth. Mr King, of Burwood, Canterbury, has shipped two pairs of ostriches to New South Wales. This is said to be the first time that ostriches have been exported from this colony. Harmston's Gigantic Circus, which will pay its first visit- to Wellington shortly, has had one continuous tour eight years. An says Mawene Hohua is a gigantic and- aged Maori whose stalwart figure and white stove-pipe hat are conspicuous ornaments to the of Petone, near Wellington. But he also suffers a good deal of annoyance from white folks who ought to know better, and this is the wav that Mawene gets back at his tormentors through the advertisement columns of the local paper;— To the Unmannerly Youths and Adults of Petone.— Take notice that unless you cease molesting me and my wife with your vile, filthy language I will take steps to put you in safe keeping where they will endeavour to teach you that a well-behaved Maori is several grades above the unwashed hoodlum. — (Signed) Mawene Hohua. The Italians of Wellington intend to present Mr Mills, . M.H.R., with a beautifully-illuminated address, expressive of their hearty thanks for his exertions in connection with the liberation of Louis Chemis. 4 The Christchurch Press reports that some workmen engaged in digging up an old macrocarpa tree at Elmwood, Papanui-road, came across a very rusty tin containing eight watchesseven of silver and one of gold. The only clue to the date of hiding was a partially-effaced writing, on which a date—April, 1879— was decipherable. This however, enabled Mr Rossiter to identify the watches as a portion of the booty secured by a burglar who broke into his watchmaker's shop in 1879. The thief was never discovered. Allegations made against a police constable by Mr Wilford during the hearing of the charge against Patrick Maloney in the Magistrate's Court on Monday morning were such that Mr Kenny, S.M., after peremptorily stopping counsel, remarked " that he had never on any occasion, either here or in any other part ot the colony, allowed a man to be charged with a crime of which he had not been convicted." In this instance, the Magistrate added, he believed the questions were being asked simply to insult the witness. Mr Wilford (hotly) ; " But I can prove what I say. If you stop these questions it is not fair, and the scales of justice are not equal." Mr Kenny advised Mr Wilford to be more careful of what he was saying, and the solicitor explained that it was due to the "heat of advbeacy." The questioning was continued on another " tack," and the witness denied that criminal proceedings were pending against him. The Magistrate again declining to allow the class of questions, "as another " Mr Wilford proceeded to cross-examine the constable on newspaper extracts, including statements made in the House, but was once ruled out of order. Inspector Pender protested that the attack was most disgraceful — a constable who had no means of retaliation was having his. character blackened in a grossly unfair and unjust way. Mr Kenny said he must put a stop to it, and as for the constable (who had only been two months in the Force), his Worship who knew his parentage, did not think he would come there and perjure himself in such a case as this. — " Post." The Rev Frank Isitt informed the meeting on Tuesday night that MrT. E. Taylor, of Police Commission fame would be visiting Foxton very shortly. A short time a go Mr W. B. Rhodes sent to Mr Thomas Holloway of pills and ointment fame, a collection of the new issue of the New Zealand stamps, and he has just received a reply to the following effect " I thank you for your remittance, the stamps are a really beautiful issue and the Old Country might with advantage follow your lead in this matter."