DRINKING FOUNTAINS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 265, 6 December 1876, Page 2

DRINKING FOUNTAINS.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.' Sik— We Nelsonians are, as is well known, rather proud of our city, and of its high cirilization ; not forgetting our splendid water-service. This high civilization, indeed, sometimes resembles with inconvenient closeness the civilization of the mother country! As for instance in the multiplicity of public houses, in habits of superfluous drinkiDg, and in the obtrusive energy and pertinacity of Good" Templars, teetotallers, and other such benevolent people. Granted these phenomena (and I do not think anyone will dispute their existence), it does seem rather remarkable that our splendid water service has not been turned to account in providing our public with that cheap and wholesome aid to temperance, easy access to plenty of pure cold water. Those steady teetotallers, the horses, have not, indeed, been altogether forgotten; there is a trough with, a supply of running water at the Tra- J

falgar-street pedestal, cose to the cab-stand, and I ana credibly informed that ! strangers in our little city have been seen prowling round this trough, seeking in vain for even so much as the primitive irtin cup and chain, till they were fain to plunge their thirsty muzzles into the horse trough. " And serre them jolly well right too," (one might fancy one heard sarcastic publicans 1 say,) " Let teetotallers and brutes drink cheek by jowl; men were made for nobler liquor, and here are we ready to supply it to them for a consideration." But then, Mr Editor, everybody has not got " a consideration." And publicans, even throwing in the brewers and spirit dealers, are not the only people to be considered valuable, as they doubtless are in their own place. The householdiug public is heavily taxed' f&r the water service, .whether it will or no, and it certainly has a right to-expecfc that the water service shall be made as widely useful as possible. Our City Council-has, I know, ..a _lofc of u«ef ul work on hand, and ever so much more looming before it; but I doubt if it could undertake anything more useful, and at a small expense too, than, setting up a few plain drinking fountains in the most frequented parts of the town. The. hot season is sotting in, when people will drink something, evan it be only cold water; aiud so, Mr Editor, I have thought that if you would put in your good word for giving thirsty people the chance of preferring cold water, gratis, to other liquor (very " generous ". perhaps, but which still has to be paid for), why, you would be doingga good titfn. to that cause of temperance, in moderation; which most of us profess to wish well to, and not feast your humble servant, A Temperance Man (Not a ' " Teetotaller).