The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1238, 5 June 1880, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawcd by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5S5 S 1880.

The new Licensing Bill introduced by Government while it is not without defect is, to our thinking on the whole a good and thorough measure. As our readers are aware, the distinguishing feature of the Bill is the admission of the principle of local option, though in a somewhat modified sense. The principle is intended to apply only to the case of new licenses, and hence the necessity for inserting a compensation clause is obviated. The granting of new licenses is to be subject to the opinion, obtained by vote, of the ratepayers or electors of the district ; the majority of votes to be decisive in the negative, but an affirmative vote shall not compel the Licensing Bench, or " committee," as it is termed in the Bill, to grant any license. . The clauses referring to these matters are, it will be at once seen, the weakest point of the Bill. The application of local option to new licenses only is, perhaps, rendered incumbent just now by reason of the low condition of the Colony's finances, and the consequent inability on the part of the Government to meet the many and large claims for compensation which would inevitably be constituted by the introduction of local option in its entirety. It is pleaded that the effect of the adoption of this part of the Bill in its present shape will be to foster the worst kind of monopoly ; applications for new licenses are always strenuously opposed by the licensees of established hotels and they could, it is urged, jointly with the temperance element, prevent the granting of new licenses in cases where such are rendered necessary. While this may be true in some cases we hardly think it will be found to be general in its application. Where a new hotel is an absolute necessity surely half the ratepayers will recognise it as such ; if they do not no one ought to regret its absence, and the police and the Committee if they do their duty will take care to see that the other public-houses are kept in a proper manner. On the other hand it seems a little unfair that while the negative vote is held to be decisive, the affirmative is not. This however, we take it, simply means that the Committee shall require the opinion of the ratepayers to be corroborated by the police. The real hardship will be felt by individuals who, building on the strength of an apparent want, find themselves defeated in their attempt to get a license through the exertions of those in the same line of business. Under the Auckland Provincial Licensing Act, 1871, the Ac,t of 1873 with its amendment being silent on the matter, it is enacted that " every house for " which a publican's license shall " be granted shall, from the time of " granting the same, contain at [ " least two moderately sized sitting- i " rooms and three bedrooms actu-

" ally ready and lit for public "accommodation, etc." Now, were the new Bill to pass into law, such conditions would be manifestly unfair, and yet it says that publichousea to be licensed must contain so many rooms, etc. In order that no injustice shall be done to applicants for new licenses a new clause ought to be inserted in the Bill providing that the vote on the question whether or not a new license should be granted shall be taken before the erection of a new house, and the decision given upon the plans, backed by the evidence of competent persons, and subject to such conditions as the Committee might see fit to impose. This, while it would not of course affect the main question, would at any rate secure that no individual should suffer direct pecuniary loss. The remaining provisions of the Bill appear to have been well considered, and, if properly carried out, will result in doing much good. The " Licensing Committee " for each district is to consist of the Resident Magistrate and four persons nominated by the Governor. The present districts are to be abolished and new ones constituted. An excellent feature in the Bill is the proposal to abolish the " bottle licenses," the existing bottle licenses to continue in force until the 30th June, 1881 ; the only matter for regret is that they are not intended to be abolished forthwith. In Waikato, fortunately, the extent of the evils arising the sale of liquors in retail stores is practically unknown, but in other parts of the Colony they are felt to be worse than any brought about by the lowest kind of grog shops. The class of licenses provided for are : publicans, family hotels(where liquor may be sold only to bona ftde residents), trading packets, clubs, booths at races, &c,, and wholesale. The fees proposed to be charged are, £40 for publicans licenses in boroughs ; £30, outside boroughs; £20 for family hotels; £10 for billiard tables ; £30 maximum for booth licenses ; £10 for packets; £20 for clubs. The hours fixed for the sale of liquors are between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., but midnight licenses can be obtained on payment of an additional £10, and additional bars at the rate of onethird the license fee for each. Brewers and spirit merchants must take out wholesale licenses, the proceeds of which are to go to the borough, county, or road board's funds. Licensed houses in addition to containing proper accommodation, must be provided with ample facilities for escape in the event of fire, a most necessary provision, as out of the hundreds of hotels in the Colony only a few are provided with the simplest means of escaping in case of a conflagration. Another important clause provides that no new house is to be licensed if any part is fitted up as a retail store, theatre, concert room, or dancing hall. The transfer, or renewal of old licenses may be objected to by memorials from persons over eighteen years of age, by the police, and by corporate bodies, and the Committee may take cognisance of such objections and may award costs against either objector or applicant. The machinery of the Bill is apparently a little complicated, out this, together with its objectionable features, will doubtless receive their full measure of alteration during the passage of the the Bill through the House, and in Committee — if it ever reaches that stage — and many of the angularities of what appears to be a very necessary piece of legislation will be removed.

We publish to-day, as a supplement to the Waikato Times, the full text of tne speech delivered at Leeston, by the Honorable the Premier, on the 20th ult , the full text of which reached us by last mail from the South.

Prospecting is still in active progress in the hills at the back of Ng.vvuiwahia. Our representative, on Thursday afternoon, visited the scene of Sir H iley's operations, the prospects or which he reports as not promising. A person who is engaged prospecting on behalf of certain gentlemen, is at work in another direction, and is reporte 1 to have forwarded to Mr Tunny, provincial assayist, a parcel of likely-looking stuff a few days ago.

Our information regarding the accident to Mr Such, railway guard, was incorrect. The tips of two of his fingers were cut off while turning on the points at Taupiri, not as stated to U 3, while moving his house. Mr Such, we are glad to stite, is able to perform his public duties.

The Kakuko Block was finished at the Lincl Court yesterday, with the exception of the settlement of claim mts named, which will be summed up this morning. There is a strong feeling among the Arawa's and a desire to overstep the bounds of peace. Rumor was again rife last night that the Court was to be ransacked but the wonld-be malcontents better sense will confine it to idle threats, # as heretofore, it is to be hoped.

A meeting of the Cambridge Coursing Club was held on Tuesday evening at the Criterion Hotel. There is every prospect of another coming meeting in August. R. H. D. Fergussion, and W. H. Grace, Esqrs , were elected members of the Club.

Mr Ewen is about laying down gravel on the Hamilton Road, from Mr Sharp's nurseryman, to Mr Richard's, and will widen the road 4 feet for several chains near Arnold's farm. This will much improve the entrance into Cambridge.

Constable Brennan with a praiseworthy zeal, which should commend itself to every Cambridge inhabitant, is doing his utmost to get accomodaticn houses or closets erected in different parts of the township for the Maoris. Unless it is soon done the filth will be intolerable, and soon pave the way for fever and other pesti'euce. Messrs. Kirkwood, Hewitt, and Pearson, have promised to erect such places, and Mr Asher has already finished one.

The settlers near Pukete will be glad to bear that the wire rope for the

pant is now on tho ground uudy to bo stretched, which will bo done as soon as the W.S.N. Co. <Un spare a s^onmer for an hour or two. Aa the Hamilton punt was found not to be /it for use in its p?esent condition, Mrs Walsh has kindly lent a good-sized bargo to te used temporarily by the general public.

H. W. Norfchcroft, Esa., R.M., presided ;>t the Cunb-idire 11 M. Couit yesterday, when throe ctiunkai'Js were mulcted in the umml penalfcics, and three civil cases of no public interest were disposed of.

L. H. Grilling was apprehended at Cambridge yc-.terdriy attcrnoun on a charge of forcing the name of John Abbot, of Auckland, to a cheque foi £00, and was remauded to Auckland. This is the individual who got into trouble a few months ago on a himilar oh. 1 rgo

Mr Allwrigab, architect to the Board of Education, arrived in Hamilton yesterday, and proceeded t> Cambridge the same afternoon on busines-. connected with his department.

At the Resident Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon, before li. W. Northcroft, Esq., R.M., John King-, charged with drunkenness and disordei ly conduct, was discharged with a caution.

A lecture entertainment was given at the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton East, on Thursday evening in aid of the proposed Temperance Hall for Hamilton. East. The chair was takon by Captain Steele, and there was a good attendance. The first part of the programme consisted of a lecture on temperance by the Rev. Mr Bull, of Cambridge The lecture wan of an exceedingly interesting nature, and the rev. gentleman, by a judici ms use of anecdote, succeeded in placiug the horrors of drunkenness in a very striking light. Ho was listened to with great attention, frequent applause being elicited. Then followed a very enjoyable concert, in which oome of the be>t local talent engaged, all the items deservedly receiviug the plaudits of the audience. Mrs Culpan and Mr Mitoham t>ung the favorite duet "The Minute Gun at Sea," and the former also contributed the beautiful ballad " He will return." Mr H. Steele was, as usual, very successful, singing "Nil De^perandum," and, in response to an. unanimous encore, the motto song " Waste not, want not," both of which wore rendered in a fine, five style. The Rev. C. Griffen gave a very humorous recitation in a manner hardly to be surpa^od, bnt perhaps the most enjoyable .selection of the evening -was '•The Danube River," charmingly rendeied by Mrs Gumming and Mrs Yon Stunner. The melody, so exquisite in itself, gained something by the manner in which it was rendered. It was received with the loudest demonstration of applause. The pianoforte accompaniments were played by Mrs Dawson and Mis H. Reynold*. The latter lady kiudly came forward at a momeut's notice, and contributed in no small degree to the success of the evening.

Mr. Sheehan has arranged to address the Thames electors before leaving for the South. It is understood that he will especially controvert the statement made by the Premier m his speech at Leeston, particularly with regard to ! Native affairs, and Native Land purchases. He will declare himself to be occupying an independent position, and will not be bound to any party till his arrival in Wellington. He will oppose the Property Tax, approving of the Land and Income Taxes. He may be expected to come out strong on the Historical Four, as they all have referred to Sheehan, making him the buffer of the whole affair. His opinion is that three out of the four are bad, and that the fourth was journeying from Jericho to Jerusalem and fell among thieves. He is going to explain the jewellry question. Mr. Sheehan has paired with Mr. Whi taker for and against the Government.

William Craig, Plumber, &c, begs [ to thauk the inhabitants of the W.iikato for tlieir patronage during the time he has been in business in Hamilton, and, ah he is about leaving 1 the district, respectfully requests that all accounts due to him may be paid forthwith. — [Advt.]

Speaking of the recent English elections, the writer of "Notes" in Tandy Fair says :—": — " Even in the enemy's ranks there is a very strong feeling of regret in Dublin that Sir Arthur Guinness was not kept in his seat for the city. Probably no Irishman of the present day lias clone so much real and enduring good in so short a time for his country as Sir Arthur Guinness. He is one of the few landlords in the West of Ireland with a really earnest and direct interest in his property. For many years past he has sent every farthing of the income derived from his Galway and Mayo estates back into the pockets of his tenants in labor wages. He has literally changed the face of the earth, and those who can remember the squallor and wretchedness of both the land and the people round the far end of Lough Corrib a quarter of a century ago, and contrast the then state of things with the modern Ashford — one of the most perfectly lovely places in Ireland — gladly recognise all that 'Sir Art' has done in his own place. In Dublin he was for .some time one of the largest employers of skilled labor in the city, and only recently he took up Stephen's Green from some fossil custodians, and, having made it into a picturesque ' People's Park,' is about to present it as a gift to his fellowcitizens. All this, so well-known to every Irishman, combined with his strong personal popularity, was not quite forgotten in Dublin, and I know that many a Liberal ' split ' went for ' Brookes anil Guinness.' It was, however, a fatally false move to stare the second Conservative candidate (Mr Sterling). Bad of course, from a Tory political point of view, but worse still because it lost to the House of Commons one of the most thoroughly ' repi-esentative ' (in its truest sense) of the Irish members." A farm servant, who had been dismissed from Longhill, St. Munuro, Dumfriesshire, brought an action for wrongful dismissal agunst his master, he having been engaged for the halfyear. As, however, he had on being reprimanded been guilty of insolent language and gestures towards his employer, and having been paid up to date of dismissal, his claim for wages or damages was set aside. It would not (says an English paper) be easy to find a more striking illu>tration of the way in which steam, science, and commerce have knit the uttermost parts of the world together than in the probability that before very long it may be no uncommon thing for an English family to dine on fresh meat which was fed and killed at the Antipodes.

Ln ut.-Coion'kl L\ov, Commanding Reserve Division A.C Force, invites tender:, for forage and shoeing. Ir will be noticed by advertisement that all accounts against the late C. P. Jukes, of Taupiri, are requested to be sent in by the 20th instant. He.xry Buttle, Esq., Assessor for the districts of Pukekura, Rangiaiohia, and Mangapiko, announces that he will be at Ohaupo on Tuesday, and will be happy to afford all information ie filling up assessment forms. The toilet and household soap, manufactured at the Parnell hoap and Candle Factory, rccened the first prize at the Sydney Exhibition of this year, and has generally commended itself to thrifty housewives as the cheapest and best article purchasable in the colony. Mr E. P. Cardno, a gentleman well known and highly respected in Auckland commerci.il circles, has assumed the managership of the woiks, nnd calls attention to the superior quality of toilet and common soap manufactured at the establishment. Mr J. S. Bucki ojd will hold a sale of household furniture at the National Hotel, Cambridge, ncxt_Saturday morning at eleven o'clock.