OTOROHANGA.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 September 1896, Page 3

OTOROHANGA.

The Licknsinu Question. —The recent prosecutions and convictions of sly grogseller.-) in the King Country, combined with a petition (freely signed by natives) sent to Wellington, praying that hotel licenses bo granted for Otorohonga and To Kuiti, has bad the effect of drawing the attention of prohibitionists to this district. During this week we have been visited by two prominent members of the temperance party, viz., Mr Isitt anil the Kev. Mr dittos. They have been busily employed interviewing native chiefs and others with the object of

gathering all information re the drink traffic in this prohibited part of New Zetland. A meeting was held in Mr Hetet's billiard-room on Wednesday night, when Mr I sit t gave a short address on the advantages of prohibition, and edilied his small bur attentive audience with the facts, figures and fictions usually beard from a temperance platform One of Mr Lsitt's statements viz., that the Wairarapi would not have been lost if the captain ha.l bom sober was much commented upon as being unfair and unjust, :b none seemed to ihink that any evidence at the enquiry pointed to the captain having been intoxicated at the time of the disaster. At the meeting the natives were asked to s gn a petition, praying that the (ijvernnteno Wing in to force here a sec'.ion of the Lie-using Act, making it compulsory tint all eases Should have their c iiteuts marked on the outside, and giving authority to an inspector to open all cases suspected to contain liquor. From bashfulness or other reasons, not one signed. Lanji CoritT.—Alter repeat ?d adjournments the Land Court is expected to open here on the 'Jilth. Expecting the event, Asiatic hawkers have arrived in tinmbit's, and their advent is not viewed with charitable feelings by the local storekeepers. I should say ih.it the candidate at the coining election who goes Strongest for a stringent Asiatics Exclusion Hill would be sure to gain the votes anil ii.lluence of those vendors of tea and su.-ar.- (Own Correspondent),