Untitled

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 956, 29 June 1881, Page 2

The steamer City of Sydney with the ’FriscoEnglish Mail has arrived at Auckland. The Gisborne portion will come by the Rotomahana, on Friday next. If punctuality is the soul of business then there was very little business at the sitting of the Licensing Court yesterday. There was an adjournment at noon until 2 o’clock, and at that hour applicants, ’solicitors, reporters and court offieinls were present, but alas ! the Commissioners did not take their seats until 25 minutes to 3 o’clock. It is not the first time that this delatoriness has been noticeable and the loss of time occasioned to persons who have business to attend to is very serious. The London Photographic Company’s Gallery in Peel-street continues to attract large numbers of visitors, and Mr. Monkton, the Manager, appears to be kept busy from morning till night. In the windows are portraits of many well-known residents which are excellent likenesses, and give proof that although the price charged is low, the work turned out is of a most superior character. An additional inducement is that each sitter receives a ticket in an Art Union drawing in which £3O worth of prizes are to be given away. We notice that Mr. Adams has copies of the Licensing Bill for sale at the extrejpelv moderate sum of two shillings. Of course we do not blame Mr. Adams, but it is niggardly to a degree on the part of the Government to make im >ney in such a paltry way. A statute which affects the whole population of New Zealand, men, women, and children ; whirly sweeps away all existing laws, on the subject in the Colony • provides for the future social well-being of the inhabitants, and professes to be a step in the direction of Local Government, should have been circulated gratis, and public opinion invited on the measure before Parliament met. We wonder if this cheeseparing Ministry sell their newspapers at per lb., after they have read them, for economy’s sake. When parsimony seizes one it becomes as great a vice as prodigality.