BUSHMEN'S HOMES V. PUBLIC HOUSES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 167, 12 July 1873, Page 4

BUSHMEN'S HOMES V. PUBLIC HOU SES.

The Wanganui Chronicle recently bad an article advocating the establishment of "Bushmen's Homes," to which men who hadbeen at work up the country might resort, instead of going to public houses. The Hon. Mr. Fox writes to the editor a Joag letter on this subject; from which the following is an extract : — "As regards your benevolent suggestion of ' Bushmen's Homes,' the idea appears somewhat ena'coos to th»t which originated the British Workman Publichouses in the old country. lam afraid, however, that in a district like this there is not material enough to ensure success. Such institutions must be self supporting, and with the small number of '"Bushmen ' which we have about us I fear there would be no chance of their being so. I fully concur with you in your feelings of commiseration for the poor bushraan, who having worked hard for months at the saw-pit, or on the station, is subject to the process of what Mr. Trollope described as being known in Australia by the title of " lambing down," which we know by the more intelligible expression of "knocking down a cheque." As far as we have men of this class to be victimised their fate is just as certain in one of our villages as in Queensland and in New South Wales. A bill was placed in my hands a short time ago, which affords a good illustratration of the way the thing is done in one of our own moat " respectable hotels," situate in a villuge not over one hundred miles from Wanganui. As I have no wish to be persoDal, I have suppressed their nameß; but with that exception the copy below is literally , correct. It runs thus : — Fuddleton, October 19. Mr Crosscut Dr. to Jonathan Bung, £ s. d.

•^ Tfies^Fuddleton Arms " is, I need not say a most*'" respectable hotel," the landlord a most respectable man, "who hates nothing SO much as a drunkard," as the publicans' ' - advocates tells us all respectable publicans do; but, nevertheless that is how^poor Crosscut the sawyer -was *' lambed Sown " at Fuddleton; aud perhaps it would have been a good thing for him if there had been a Bushman's Home handy when he was sucked into the vortex of the " Fuddleton Arms." But my conviction is that bo long as the • Fuddleton Arms" opens its arms to Mr Crosscut and other fellows like him, it •would be of very little use to establish a Bushman's home on the other side of the street. The glitter of the well lighted bar, the voice of the jolly companions, the inviting smile of the bland landlord, perchance the pretty barmaid tricked out with pinch beck jewellery, will hold out attractions for Mr Crosscut which will prove far more irresistible than the clean fireside and cup of tea at the * Bushman's Home.' You muat get rid of the * Fuddleton Arms,' and then if there be any need for Bushmen's Homes you need cot fear but you will have them. Give the bushman and the rest of the people the power, to deal with the public house question themselves and they'll soon do it. Political charlatans, calling themselves the friends of the working man, are always shouting themselves hoarse about the poor man's righta and public liherty. But THEY DARE NOT TRUST HIM WITH THE POWER OF DECIDING WHETHER A PUBLIC HOUSE SHOULD BE SET UP AT HIS DOOR, TO DEMORALISE HIS FAMILY AND BRING ALL SORTS OF NUISANCES INTO HIS neighborhood. This our patriots are content to leave in the hands of two Justices of the Peace, over whom " the people " and this " working man " have no control. The advocates of the Permissive Bill demand this right for the working man; the Brumrnn&en patriots who claim to be his friends and political guides dare not and will not give him it.

To Board and Lodging from Oct. 9th 2 0 0 „ Oct. llth.— To 97 glasses... 2 8 6 „ „ 12th. — „ 28 glasses and half-pint brandy... 0 16 0 „ „ 13th.— „ 20 glasses... 010 0 „ „ 14th.— „ 14 glasses... 0 7 0 „ „ 15r,h.— „ 1 glass ... 0 0 6 „ „ 16;h. — „ 4 glasses... 0 2 0 £6 4 0