The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 252, 22 May 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1868.

Theke is no class of the community who are more loaded with burdens of one kind and another than the licensed victuallers, and there is no class of license-holders who get so little protection for the money they contribute to the revenue. The license-money in the first place is high, and the excuse for this is that the holders enjoy the monopoly of a certain trade. Publicans are greatly at the mercy of the police, and the slightest infringement of the letter of the Act meets with prompt punishment. If a lamp is blown out, if a house is open a few minutes earlier or later than the prescribed time, if a score other petty offences are committed, the publican is fined and admonished, and has also the risk of having his license cancelled. This may or may not be necessary, though we decidedly incline to the latter belief, but as they are so stringently dealt with on the one hand they have least a right to expect the Government on the other hand to fully carry out their portion of the implied contract. In the first place, the illegal sale of liquor ought, as far as possible, to be put a stop to, but little effort is used to abate it. It is very well to say that if a private person will lay an information the offender will be punished, but this really amounts to shelving the responsibility altogether. However mortifying it may be for the legal salesman to see his neighbour sell without any authority, he does not care to turn informer, for irrespective of the odium that attaches to the character, he rightly thinks that it is the duty of the Government to seek out and punish sly grogsellers without the interference of

private people, whether in the trade or not. So far at present from a licensed publican being any better off than one who dispenses with the license, he is actually at a disadvantage with him. He has to open and close at stated hours, he is liable to the surveillance of the police at all hours, he has to keep a lamp burning, and to preserve the most perfect order in his house, whilst the unlicensed man has nothing of the kind to trouble him—he can open and shut when he pleases, the police have no special authority over him, and he has no vexatious drawbacks of any description. It is quite certain that to put a complete stop to unlicensed trade is impossible, but at the same time it is equally sure that the present open defiance of" the law could be in a great degree checked, if a little more activity were displayed in the matter. It is obviously the height of injustice to mulct the trade of a large sum in license-money, and at the same time practically throw it open to anyone who pleases to follow it. This is more particularly the practice on the goldfields, and it is certainly high time that some means should be adopted for its repression. Another grievance that the Charleston people have been recently very reasonably complaining of, is the indiscriminate manner in which licenses are granted to all applicants, without the slightest inquiry as to the character either of the person or the honse. By this means profligate women of all descriptions obtain licenses, and their houses become actually neither more nor less than licensed brothels. This is well known to the police, but we have no record of any action having been taken against the class in question. By the Act single women are prohibited from holding licenses, and this should not only be strictly carried out, but should extend to married women of well-known bad character. At Charleston we see the publicans have taken steps for the formation of a Licensed Victuallers' Society, and it would be greatly to the

advantage ot those in tit; trade here if they did likewise. As a body, they could take that protection, which the law virtually withholds, into their own hands, and the slight expense of such an organisation would be repaid fifty-fold in a short time. If this was the case too, they could address suggestions for any amendments of the Act that could be shown to be reasonable, to members of the Council, and no doubt such would receive due attention. Just now there is an amended act before the Council which is not yet discussed, and if they were prompt in their movements there would be time to memorialise that body before the amendments are finally disposed of. On a number of grounds licensed victuallers have sub- ! stantial reasons for complaint, and by forming an association of the kind, they would be using the most effectual means for their abatement at least. For their own sakes we should suppose they , will do so, and if they do so resolve, the sooner they set to work the better , for themselves.

There was no Resident Magistrate'a Court held yesterday as Dr. Q-iles was engaged at Addison's Flat. Mr M'Lean, of the Union Hotel, is busily engaged in having his land cleared at the Orawaite, in order to afford accommodation to the Volunteers, or for any sports that may be held on Monday next, when her Majesty's birthday will be celebrated. The enclosed ground is five acres in extent, and is very conveniently situated for either purpose.

The butchers of Charleston have set a good example to the Westport fraternity, in reducing the excessive price of meat. Three of the leading men in the trade advertise the following prices : —Beef, 8d to lOd per lb ; mutton, by the carcase, sd, by the side, Gd, hind-quarters, 7d, legs, 8d per lb. The reason given for the reduction is the glutted state of the markets. If such is the case there, it must be so here and we hope to notify the same reduction in "Westport. A meeting of gentlemen took place on Wednesday evening for the purpose of making arrangements for an amateur entertainment for the farewell benefit of Mrs Byan. It was resolved that Monday the Ist of June should be the day, and two pieces, the "Idiot Witness" and "Mr and Mrs Peter White" should be played. An interlude of singing and instrumental music will also be given, and altogether the committee intend to offer a most attractive programme. No vessel either from north or south put in an appearance yesterday, though there are several due, viz.—the Murray from Wanganui, the Nelson and the John Penn from Nelson, and the Kennedy from the south. We publish in another column the rules of the Westport Volunteer corps, as agreed to by the members. A correspondent writes to enquire if there really was any formal declaration of the poll in the late election for the General Assembly. We are credibly informed that there was such a ceremony performed by Dr. Giles. The only other person present was the successful candidate. Whether he made a speech to the Returning Officer or not we are not aware. Had notice, as is usual, been published in the local papers no doubt there would have been a fair attendance, if only for the novelty of seeing in Mr Gallagher a real live member of the Assembly. That gentleman never thought fit to address the Westport people, and he is almost as great a stranger to the public here as though he hailed from another colony altogether. If the declaration had been purposely made a secret of, it could not have been better managed to secure that end.

It is.intended to establish a Catholic University in Dublin, and a large amouut has already been subscribed both at home and in the colonies for this end. In connection with it the Orei/ Hiver Argus reports—" It will interest our Roman Catholic readers to learn that the Uev. Father Ilickey has arrived on a charitable mission relating to the new Catholic University iu Dublin. He will hold Divine Service in St. Patrick's Church to-morrow, and explain the object of his mission. He will afterwards, in the company of the Eev. Father Royer, visit Nelson Creek, Maori Cully, and other up. country districts." A ball and supper will be given in celebration of the Queen's birthday on Monday next, at the Life-boat Hotel. Mr Dixon is making great preparations for the entertainment of his friends and visitors, and intends to spare no expense to provide a pleasant evening's amusement.

The meeting advertised to be held last evening for the purpose of getting up some sports in celebration of the Queen's birthday, ended in nothing, and no business whatever was done. It has

been proposed to get up a day's racing the week after next, so as to catch the Hokitika horses. A course could be laid out close to the town, and a very little money would suffice to provide at least, one day's sport. Another accident, caused by the ex-

plosion of gunpowder, is reported to have occurred in Otago. The " Daily Times " correspondent at the Dunstan, writes :—On Saturday last a serious accident happened to a man named Massey. It appears that he was driving a six-horse waggon for Mr J. Dalziel, and was camped along with four others opposite Evan's Provincial Hotel, Evan's Flat. Having lit his candle, ho (placed it on a box of stationery, which took fire as the candle burnt out. Massey discovering the fire ran for water, and standing on the tailboard, in the act of throwing a bucket of water, four kegs of powder exploded, burning the unfortunate man severely about the breast and arms. The other waggoners, being awoke by the report, came to his aid, and one of them named AVard narrowly escaped a similar fate, as two kegs of powder still rema : ned in the waggon near the burning mass ; these barrels he snatched up and threw them out, thus escaping injury by his daring conduct. Dr ITalley was soon on the spot, and had the sufferer removed to the Hospital, where he lies, severely, though it is hoped not dangerously, burnt. One of the staves of a barrel severely injured a horse belonging to the team, which was feeding near at the time.