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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 201, 22 May 1874, Page 2

The Hokitika Borough Council appears to be drifting towards rowdyism. The Register of Saturday says that on the previous evening the Council entered npon a debate regarding tbe Public Works Committee, and, 'says our contemporary, " the large audience present were gratified with an entertainment such as, we believe, no other public body in tbis province but the Borough Council of , Hokitika could furnish. During the course of the 'debate,' Cr. Barrett observed, with his usual good taste, that Cr. HigginV portrait nailed to the wall would make everyone grin; Cr. Cross gave a fellow^ councillor tbe lie direct; points of or-dijr were risen to when there twas no order; and the Mayor was persistently insulted by one or two of the most uncouth councillors. Cr. Hawkins endeavored to show his superiority over his fellows by quoting 'Acts' ad libitum, in which, he was unsuccessfully emulated by Cr. Barrett. Ultimately, after about one .hour's tumult, the Council adjourned until eleven p.m. On resuming at that most unusual hour, Cr. Learmontb's motion was carried, in tbe absence, and to tho great wrath of, Cr. Barrett; whose watch and the town clock, as it/ subsequently appeared, were at issued Cr. Cross refused to sit down at/the bidding of tbe Mayor, but, being told by that dignitary that he would be fined, he subsided witb great rapidity. Our reporter left the Town Hall a/ twelve (midnight), leaving tbe Council, engaged in a row about lighting/the town on a motion by Cr. Cross;" Says the Australasian : — " The sight of three little boys, each 12 years of age, brought before the City Police Counr for being found helplessly drunk in streets, shows what ecope there is for regulating public-houses as they aame n without seeking to extinguish tbem by* the impracticable plan of a Permissive Bill. These unhappy youngsters, we read, were supplied with beer and rum at a public-house, atd when they became, intoxicated their conduct was most dis-' orderly and outrageous. Now, under j a strict system of public-house super- ' vision, such a case as tbis doubtless^ might occur, but not without exemplary punishment to the man who supplied the liquor, and adequate precaution being taken against its being repeated, so far as he was concerned. Nobody considers that any principle of personal freedom would be infringed by such a man being declared henceforth incapa- j ble of holding a license, and if the houseJ where the offence was committed aUfo were deprived of its license for a year or two, such a course would make land-' lords cautious as to the character of the persons they allowed to acquire possession of their places. At present there is a most unwholesome liberty allowed to publicans, and gross instances of breaches of order and decorum are allowed to pass unpunished.; Our reformers have been so eager ifi

the pursuit of their impossible Permis- ; sive Bill; and in their fruitless effort to suppress; Sunday trading, that they < have q^terjy 3 lieglected the remedial measures which W ere within the reach of actual realisation. _t is to be hoped ' that this will not always be the case, and that the time may come when even our liquor-sale reformers will stoop to be practical. At that time there will < be a chance of means being adopted to prevent such outrageous occurrences m that to which w.ejbia^e. alluded", The entrance to the Ngakawhau river has again, shoaled up,fapid it ial doubtful if even the steamer Ino could at < present cross the bar in safety. Consumers of coal are again, sending their orders lo Grey month.— Westport Timet