MASTERTON AND NO-LICENSE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1590, 22 July 1916, Page 3

MASTERTON AND NO-LICENSE.

PALMERSTON PAPER’S ACTION. In conversation with the editor of the Manawatu Daily Times recently a Palmerston North resident stated that Master ton was now, from all exterior appearances, the deadest and dullest town in the North Island. He said that all the spirit (as well as the “spirits”) seemed to have been knocked out of the place, and that to a traveller arriving at night it was the most dismal, illlighted, lifeless, and forbidding town

that it was possible to conceive. It occurred to the editor that it would be very interesting at the time to have those allegations looked into. A. pressman attached to the staff of the Times was accordingly despatched to Mastcrton with instructions to make close l , and absolutely impartial investigations into the conditions existing at Mastcrton (a.) as to the general effects of prohibition in regard to accommodation for the travelling public; (he habits of the people; (he welfare or otherwise of Ihe town; Ihe amount of sly-grog selling (if any); the efforts of the police to deal with the matter; the altitude of the inhabitants towards the question; the facilities which are available for (lie sale and distribution of liquor; how no-lic-ense in Mastcrton lias affected “the trade’’ in Garlerlmi; and all other informal ion on the subject which might he considered interesting. The emissary remained in the Waira.rapa for eight flays, and has returned with his report. This will appear in a series of articles in the Times on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next.