The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4716, 18 February 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1884.

We are not, we hope,, going to have another exemplification of the carelessness generally manifested by the people, in taking small advantage of the many means of controlling logbl government placed within their reach. The opportunities given them rather abundantly, we think; and so generally neglected, must in a great measure be at once embraced." We called attention in due course, to the time" allotted to claimants for municipal privileges, and others of almost equal importance are to be exercised, or to be qualified for within the present month. This week produces the various elections under the Licensing Act, and within the next three days all nominations in connection with the bodies for the ensuing year must bo made, that is, with these exceptions: in the Borough South Ward, and in tho Hastings Hiding of the County, in which districts the nominations wero sent in to-day. To* morrow nominations for the Borough Central district, and for the Waiotahi County District must be made; on Wednesday they must be lodged for the Thames North (Borough) District and the Kauaeranga District; and on Thursday nominations for County, Parawai District, must be forwarded. In the past but little interest has been attached to these licensing appointments, yet much importance should be. The regulation of the liquor traffic is a serious question, and its importance is gradually developing; the many abuses of it are growing, and a firm and resolute hand must, and there can be no doubt will, attempt to grasp the difficulty. The crime, poverty, and other drawbacks the advancement of civilization have to contend against, are chiefly traceable to the want of proper regulation of this

traffic, and ifc therefore behoves the people to take some .interest in the annual elections of licensing commit- j tees. Again, the names of those who are omitted from the County Roll, but shonld be placed upon it, should be at ones seen to, as but little time remains to rectify mistakes made.. It is a pity that the people who have so long been clamoring for those privileges of local-self government, and with which they have been bount. eously supplied, should so long neglect taking advantage of the good things they evidently longed should be given them. We trust that this small note of warning will not be without effect, but tend to point out to the people generally that certain of their number avail themselves of any advantages to be gained by the enactments we refer to, and this one sided use of Acts of Parliament is not for the general benefit, or in the direction of the intention of the framers of the law.