THE STANDARD. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 58, 4 June 1873, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1873.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

Outlying Districts -Sale of Spirits Act. —The hotelkeepers <df Poverty Bay received, by ia>t mail from Auckland, circulars from the Superintendent calling their “ special attention to the sixth section of the Outlying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, 1870,” which provides that “No license authorizing the salt “of any spirituous or fermented liquors withii “ the limits of any such district shall be issue; “ to any person under the provisions of an; taw for the time being in force within sucl “ district relating to licenses for the sale of “spirituous or fermented liquors without the “ assent of the Native Assessor <or Assessors “appointed under the provisions of this Act if “ there be any Assessor or Assessors so appointed “ such assent to be evidenced only by the “ signature of the Assessor or if more than one “ of all the Assessors appointed in and for such '* district to such license and any license issued

“ without such signature shall be ipso facto “ null and void and the holder thereof shall be “ deemed to be an unlicensed person within the “provisions of this Act.” And that “in pursuance of such provision it will be necessary for them to obtain the written consent of the Assessors appointed for the district of Waiapu,” whose names—eight in all —are appended to the circular. Now, without passing any remark on the severe jumble and contradiction of terms involved in the sixth clause, we confess to some surprise at the coolness exhibited by the Provincial Government (for we suppose them to be parties to the Superintendent’s circular) in the autocratic censure they have deemed it right to pass on some of the tradesmen in this district. To read this high-toned document, any one would think that the publicans of Poverty Bay had taken a most unusual step —had tried, in fact, to steal a march on the authorities —in applying for their licenses in the usual way; that, in having done so, they have taken a most improper course, and one which is likely to lead to them losing their licenses altogether. That the Act from which the clause as quoted is in existence, we allow; that it is quite time such a sham piece of legislation were wiped out, we readily admit; but that it is intended to work in the coercive

way pointed out by the Superintendent we deny emphatically. The boundaries in the proclamation comprise a district extending from Mahia to the East Cape, in which the Act is still in operation; but we should think the third clause is sufficiently explicit to save the Government the trouble cf so ostentatious a pointing out to the publicans of the town of Gisborne that their licensee stand in jeopardy every hour. The clause reads thus“ No part of any town or city shall be brought under the operation of this Act” —what can be clearer? Gisborne

was gazetted a township 6e/bre the “ Outlying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, 1870” became law, and is, consequently, freed from its operation. But we join issue with Mr. Gillies on his reading of the sixth clause. Nothing can be more clearly put than that the assent required is “to be evidenced oafy by the “signature of the Assessors .... to such "Heense.” The Act no where says that the publicans have the onus cf obtaining the assent

■mi x ■ — - ■ . ■ 1 ■ of the Assessors put upon them, Provincial Government implies, that thffWMrt should accompany the applications licenses are applied for. Whether it WMtha intention of the General Legislature or not, is beside the question ; the Act, as is stands, mete the responsibility of getting its conditions fulfilled upon the Provincial Government, as it is simply impossible for the licenses to carry out even the spirit of the Act until they get their licenses themselves; and the Act further declares that any “ such license issued without “such signature shall be, ipso factOi* null and “void.” Without somo further, explanation we can only look upon this action of the Superintendent as the determined effort' of a man to have the last kick ata body iff settlers who have discovered at last that he is anything but their friend. The Superintendent of Hawkes Bay will be interested in this question as, we believe, the town of Wairoa, in that Province is included in another district proclaimed about the same time; and we shall be curious to learn the view he takes of the matter.

Returning Officer. —Dr. Nesbitt, we are informed, is to be appointed Returning Ofbeer for the Poverty Bay district. Telegraph Offices. — Mr. Ross was the successful tenderer for the erection of the Telegraph and Post-offices to be built in Gisborne for the General Government.

Telegraph Inspector.—Mr. Blake, the District Inspector of Telegraphs, arrived in Gisborne last Friday, and left again for the Coast on Saturday. Sunday Service. — The Rev. Mr. Root, requests us to state that in consequence of the pressure of other engagements preventing him, he will be unable to hold Divine Service at Ormond on Sunday next.

Late Files. —We should feel particularly obliged to our friends North and South, if until the telegraph is in operation from this with the rest of the colony, they would send us the latest and completes! files they can. It has happened on two or three occasions lately that the mails have brought advices to private hand of later particulars than to us. This places us in a false position, and seems to be betoken a carelessness which we are always anxious to avoid in our own exchanges. Road Board.—We have noticed lately in the proceedings of the Road Board, an absence from the record of many transactions that liave been known to take place at its meetings ; in fact, according to them, it would appear that there really is nothing done, which we know to be contrary to fact. From private hand we now learn that the Board was empowered some time since to spend the necessary money in blasting the rocks at the entrance to the harbor; and that the buoys and chains are only awaiting in Auckland for some one to procure suitable anchors for them, and they can be sent down at once, surely the Board must have heard something of this.

Sheep Importation.—Mr. McDonald succeeded in making the lust crossing to his run on Monday last with a flock of 4,000 sheep he has driven from Hawke’s Bay. Although Mr. McDonald has been a long time on the road having left Napier on the 11th of April, he has only lost 300 out of 2 flocks numbering 6,000, for which, at this inclement season of the year, he may heartily congratulate himself. The principal causes of detention have been the rains he experienced as far as the Wairoa, which swelled the creeks with freshets that were dangerous to cross.

Bank of New Zealand.—Notably among the buildings which are going up pretty rapidly, and will add to the utility and ornamentation of the town of Gisborne, is the one in course of erection on the site lying between the Courthouse and Mr. Adams’ residence. The land comprises nearly a quarter of an acre and was the only unoccupied piece of ground on what is known as Read’s block. The front elevation, as shewn on the plan, presents a neat appearance, indicative of a desire to combine the usefulness of a business house with the comforts of a home. The facade is of the Grecian order of architecture; the front boarding and quoins being rusticated ; with circular head to doorway, and semi-circular windows supported on carved trusses, surmounted with frieze cornice, and panelled, moulded entablature. The building will contain, besides the public department of the Bank, a manager’s room 'and a suite of four private rooms ; a lobby will shut off the private from the public part of the building, communication between the two being effected through . a spacious hall. A neat fence is to be erected in front, the whole of the work will be completed in about ten weeks hence, and will be a great improvement to the town. Mr. Morgan of Auckland is the contractor.

Canard. —A report reached town on Sunday afternoon by a man residing, with his mate, about a mile from King’s Mill, to the effect that one night last week he was aroused from his bed about 9 o’clock by some dozen or so of Maori’s who, he said, were armed and prowling about. He asked them what they wanted and they said, “ nothing.” He followed up this report,' by an application to Dr. Nesbitt for a rifle to protect himself with. We don’t stop to enquire if it be true ; and merely mention the fact to advise these scare-brained people to desist from making fools of themselves and creating unnecessary alarm. The experience of the past has taught us that “ all things are possible;” and the readiest credence will be given by outlying settlers, who feel themselves lonely and unprotected, to reports which have a coloring of truth; still there are two things it should be the duty of all to rememberlet. If anything of a suspicious nature occurs, let them inform those at head quarters without delay; to keep those in authority posted up, is our surest safeguard, and not to go babbling about the country like so man v drivelling idiots. 2nd. To remember that there is a law by which anyone spreading a false report, in trine of danger, may be severely punished. For our own part we don’t believe a word of the report, in the way it was made.