PASSING NOTES.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 153, 8 July 1892, Page 2

PASSING NOTES.

[By Nemesis.]

Licensing matters are coming more inlo prominence year by 7 year and public opinion on tlio liquor question is very different to what it was a few years aSo* Then many persons were placed upon the Licensing bench hi 7 the beer vote although they wore totally unqualified to Occupy such a position. Only recently I heard of a worthy gentleman sitting on such a bench, not many miles from the Wairoa, to administer the Act who openly stated in Court that he had never seen a copy of the Licensing - Act. If things continue as they are now tending those who consent to act in public positions will have to make themselves better acquainted with our laws.

In answer to a question, in the House, the Premier has informed Mr Earnshaw that manufacturers of hop beer come under the Licensing Act, and cannot sit on Licensing Committees. I do not pretend to any 7 knowledge on the hop beer question and possibly hop beers differ so much that the Premier’s statement may not he applicable to all manufacturers of so called beers. At any rate the matter is of just sufficient interest to ene member at least of the Aratapu Licensing Bench as to he worthy of consideration. It might also he asked whether the licenses lately hold good when there was only a hare quorum of Qnnimissioners present and one of those a hop beer mapfpfacturer. * i *

A larg - e quantity of timber has fceep. drawn from Aratapu to an elevation slightly back frftip the Main piiid in the vicinity of Aoroa, and rumour says that a h.opse of some twelve rooms is to he erected on this kuoll f fhe whole to cost close on a thousand pounds. Qbpjstfftq# js stated as the time by which the erection, fas to be eompiei.O'd.. and some busy bodies have been endeavouring to it v upon the lucky canary. A social given in the Forester©’ Hall, Mangawhave, on a recent Thursday eyejnipg liowevcr set all doub s at rest, and now these busy bodies <sijy “ I told you so,’' ‘•Who’d have thought jit#” 'fije social was generally voted voted wee b I T y#h.er grapery, even Lambert’s hop beer was barred- * * * Jfr J, L. Kelly, member of the Auckland Education Pearids lately journeyed all the way from Welfegtop to rafee bis voico and record his vote against the Mr E. M. Harrison in the Beiesford Street gchprsl. Me succeeded in his purpose and probably returned home yiyh a well satisfied expression on his countenance. His features doubtless assumed a different cast ■wheji ,he learned that the Board refused _ to Tecog-iiise his phargo of £0 IQs for travelling

expenses. lour contemporary, the (..‘n-erver, should be able to produce uu interesting series of sketches on this incident. Mr Houston, M.11.R , was successful in getting the rent of the Kauri Company’s lease at: Kohukohu reduced by £lO per annum Perhaps the removal of (his straw rn ly snv the »muc 1 and of the Syndicate. rosy time of it with"very little to trouble them, but for my part I would rather break stones on the road for the County Engineer than try to teach Christianity to some of the story lieirts in these parts. Some people have a very high opinion own ofjthi ir own Christian worth and yet eon.sider the nisei vesper toot !v rig] iinhimling n 1 itbe fault Jtliey can with their pastor’s work.lt migh tbe worth while to try another plan and see bow things gee then. I would suggest that the parson’s salary be regularly paid and a full attendance wait before him at every service ; that, in fact, an attempt be made to kill him with kindness instead of adverse criticism. When people make up their minds to work together it is wonderful what a lot can be done, and it might be well to reproduce in. our churches that old hymn Cats and dogs delight to bark and bite For ’tis their nature to Etc. etc.