A PENITENT PUBLICAN.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8880, 3 August 1907, Page 4

A PENITENT PUBLICAN.

A few clays ago wo published a Sydney cablegram stasiug that a prominent public man at Bathurst, who has au interest in three hotels had denounced the trade. The man who has turned his back on the trade is Mr Richard Kenna, licensee and proprietor of the Grand Hotel, Batnurst His statement, which appears tohayebeen called forth by comments made at the meeting of the Liquor Defence Association upon lack of interest in the movement shown by a few publicans, is as 10L--10ws: —" have an interest in three hotel properties, and under ..these circumstances it is compulsory tor me to handle the filthy lucre accruing from the sale of detestable hqor. The public will be surprised to hear that I abhor my hotel associations. Five years' experience convinces me that in any phase the liquor which the union is attempting to defend is a curse and a scoiirge to humanity. I could wade through a category ot deplorable scenes, of crime, starvation, and ruin, of which I have been an eye-witness through this cursed liquor traffic. I have made t a deep study of the debasing effects Were I in the position of*such multi-mil-lionaires as are spread throughout the universe, or even possessed of the wealth of some of local magnates, my great aim in life would be to endow institutions, libraries, and compensate licensed victuallers who i come under their education or nolicense Acts. Some poet writes, 'As in body, so in mind, freaks of nature in both we find.' This surely applies to mv case, when a licensed victualler "proclaims prohibition broadcast, and is eager to be interviewed by the Alliance of New South Wales to further its no-license interests."