INNS AND TRAVELLERS.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 682, 5 January 1865, Page 2

INNS AND TRAVELLERS.

We may safely take it for granted that nothing strikes a traveller in a new country more than the modes of travelling he finds prevailing in it, and the conveniences provided for him at his journey's end. In the early days of this province we will own to the feeling of novelty brought upon us, not by the compulsion of travelling on foot (such things did not come amiss to most of us), but by the " swag." To carry one's bed may be sufficiently astonishing to one of the world of modern civilisation, but to carry one's provisions, practically, is a bore, and if it were not that one must eat, we should in our first experiences have thankfully dispensed with the load of vital fuel necessary for our loco-

motion. In those day* v i__ Weedon (township and inn not a: t being) was only known as the gully," how tiankfully did we tfumble our crusts, and more thankf illy moisten them in the rain-pool pc 'chance not dried up, which made the well-known gully so welcome a halting pi* «c. 3fow-a--days, one's rest is too often tv ade wretched by complaints of the shortco aings of the hotel, and of everything save th( stable under the excellent " Tommy." (Who does not love the hostler to whom one can conscientiously resign a tired horse!) But then we were afoot, and after the frugal meal rose, though perhaps somewhat stiffly, to again pursue the shelterless track, past fern beds (now no more), past Cabbagetree hill (now so only in name), and so on to Lake's. Hail! sweet memories of that early inn; you were but a poor hovel, but many a tired one looked refreshed on the then pleasant fair minister of modest comfort. It was, and ever will be a wretched place, but never less so than then, and how much more so now, only travellers can tell. This was then the last resting place of southern bound civilized man, and when the Eakaia, norwester compelled, hurried down in might and turbid flood, this was the Ark of refuge whence at intervals would sally forth an impatient detenu,, who, if he returned, gave report of the river's impracticability ; and if he did not, he must have crossed and so provedits practicability, and everybody tried to think he was not drowned. "We well remember our first crossing the dread river ; the footsore march over the stony bed, the welcome bathe in the cold gliding stream, the halfconfidence with which, advancing step by step, we noted one waistcoat button, then another disappear, as the torrent boiled against our side ; neither can we forget liow, in mid-stream a very very cold and a horribly buoyant feeling pervaded our frame. But how glorious the camp for the night: what store of dry for the roaring fire,lighting up the cypress-looking manuka and palm-like cabbage-trees, behind which rose the broad moon and twinkled many a star. The site of our camp is now a railway-reserve, aid, but yesterday, the ferrymen were witness'of our wrath at the abominable delay in crossing the river. But, of course, ike wool bid to be crossed (else what would they say in England?), so we and our belongings hsjd to wait. And we wished we had been bales i of wool. t But horses, spring-carts, waggonettes,- and, buggies have long since superseded -awagl carrying ; and now the world are to be pasi sengers by Cobb and Co. to Tiniara in a day ! It is a wondrous sight, that Timaru Mail—a cross between a diligence and a coach of the date of Queen Anne, so bulkylooking yet so light in substance that as it stands, ready for the horses, the light breeze makes it float on its leather fore-and-aft springs. Thunder-bolt-holding eagles, starspangled banners, and other devices, not in the best of taste, clearly establish the country of its m anufacture; while the driver, in steeple-crowned hat, full of strange phrases and nasal vernacular, adroitly managing his plunging team, completes the unity of the Yankee notion. But the journey [is done in a day. "No more nights then at the model inn of the ChristchuTch justices, with its inevitable shake-down on the floor 'mid some dozen companions of travel. "Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn ?" has risen to the lips of many a traveller since old Sir John; but here we venture to say one rarely indulges in the expectation without disappointment. Our country inns—we speak chiefly of the South road, where a clean bed is usually the exception —are, as a rule, comfortless dirty grog-shops. The legal notices, conditions of license posted in the public rooms, with the book kept for visitors, convey to the stranger the idea of a rigorous supervision, and he might justly suppose the inhabitants of this province accepted dirt and drunkenness, hard fare and straw pallets as a condition, of being " up the country." The magistrates in town do not care, under the present Ordinance, to sit on the Bench on licensing days; it is no wonder then that country justices follow their example, and consequently consider the visitors' book of complaints as a sham. So far for the public ; have the publicans no inducements to offer a better bill of fare instead of these hardships which it is a mercy to escape ? Is the tariff of charges too low ? In the days we have spoken of two shillings for a meal, including tea, was charged both on the Selwyn and afterwards on the Eakaia, and the proprietors of those times have retired from a profitable business, undoubtedly well to do. Ifow with mutton cheaper, a greatly increased traffic, wages if not lower not higher, tbreeshilniigs is charged. The bottledbeer sold wholesale at, say Is. 4d., is charged 3s. and the liquors, adulteration, quality, and prices considered, are at least 100 per cent, in ad-

price, while the profit on oats i|ust Yet despite the mcreafe of pro^, in wages, price and consumption, every public house from Weedon to the|&-shburton has been, not only indifferently kept, bu;t 3*nost at one time or other have become bankrupt, to be carried on by other hands. I For the reason of this we must look to illmanagement, and to the fact that the proprietors, no longer content with simply minding their business, have been utterly indifferent to the proper attention due to their customers, and for the most part appeared to be ambitious only of the dubious brilliance they attach to the life of a " sporting publican." Were the damage only to themselves as in the case of general traders, it would perhaps be no matter worth our special comment; but the good conduct of the inns along the principal lines of road, for which licenses are granted with immunities, under the understanding that certain provisions for the benefit of the public are carried out, we feel bound to say, is a question of no small importance, and farther, that the sooner the present careless system of neglect is remedied the better. If the present Ordinance works badly, it is due to the public to have it altered until it answers the purpose it was intended for, namely, the comfort of the traveller. How the law may be made adequate to meet the evils we complain of, is a very good subject for the consideration of any of our legislators having the desire to remedy a crying abuse, and to properly regulate a branch of trade upon the conduct of which every section of the community is pretty sure, at sometime or other to be either I benefited, or, as under the present system, wronged.

The Champion Calcutta Sweep.—We see that the horses in this sweep will bo drawn for to-morrow at the British Hotel at 7 o'clock p:m:, and the sale of the horses will be Mr Barnard §immediately afterwards. A few tickets are still left undisposed of, to secure which an early application ia necessary. Tattersaix's at Chhistchuech. —Our readers will see by an advertisement in to-day's paper that a betting-room has been established which will be accessible only to subscribers. It will be under the control of a committee, of which Mr. Lance, Mr. Moorhouse, and Major Wliite are the first membera. The odds will be poeted in the room daily, and all disputed bets amongst subscribers will be referred to the Committee. The room will be managed upon the rules in force at Tattereall's, which will be printed and posted for general information. The subscription is moderate enough at ten-shillings until the settling-day, after the Champion meeting. ~-MasfCETiLLE and Bangioea Boad Boabd. —A meeting of the ratepayers of the above district was held at Woodend on Tuesday, the 3rd instant, for the purpose of electing three members of the Board I for the ensuing year. The following gentlemen were proposed: — Messrs. B. Eickraan, J. Beswicl l Blaekett, J. B. Wilson, James Horrall, Stanton, J. C. Boys, and F. H. Tipping. A poll having been demanded by Mr Beswick, the voting was proceeded with, and at the close of the poll at 4 o'clock p.m« the number of votes stood as follows:—Boys, 270 j Blaekett, 213 ; Eickman, 165 ; Wilson, 80; Horrall, 75 ; Beewick, 59 ; Stanton, 13 ; Tipping, 9. Messrs Boys, Blaekett and. Eickman were declared duly e'ected. AiiMANAO. —The Southern Provinces Almanac for 1865, published by Messrs. Ward and Beeves, is now before the public. Since the last publication the volume has been increased in size, and presents a great mass of general information. The Garden Calendar has been compiled with great care, and the numerous valuable hints contained in this part alone will recommend the volume to many. The Directory is tery comprehensive, comprising the Provincial Government and Council officers of the General Gov« eminent in the Province, Diocesan Synod, societies, associations, and companies, and trades and callings, maps of Chrietchurch and Lyttelton containing the latest alterations on a reduced scale, find a place in the volume. A very useful addition. The ephemera reduced from the Nautical Almanac 1865, will be found most useful. It contains the sun's apparent declination, equation of time, moon's meredian pass* age, the corrected mean time of sunrise and sunset. The Narrative of Events gives a short history of the principal events that have taken place in the province daring the past year, and is marked for its concisenesß. The book will prove a most useful one to all. Coebe's Music Haxl.—This hall is now almost completed, and was last night lighted for the first time with gas from forty burners. The building has been erected in a wonderfully short space of time and the decorations will be completed within a ehort time. The gas-fittings are extremely pretty, the brackets holding the burners in the gallery being alternately gilded and bronzed, and in the form of an elephant's head and trunk. The room is a very fine one, and appears to be well suited for music. It is, we hear, the intention of Mr. Coker to give a Tradesman's Ball in it to-morrow week. BaNGIOBA "AND MAITDETOiB BOAD BOABD.— The annual meeting of the ratepayers of the above district was held on Tuesday, January 3, at noon, at Hinge's, Woodend Hotel, for the purpose, as per advertisement, of electing three members in the stead of J. MeFarlane, Joseph Beswick, and Gk L. Lee, Esqrs., the same gentlemen being eligible for re-election. The following were proposed as fit sod proper persons to fill the vacant seats:— J. C. Boys, Henry Blaekett, B. Bickman, J. B. Wilson, James Horrell, Joseph. Beswick, J. Staonton, and P. H. Tipping, Esqrs. A was taken with the following results :— J. C. Boys, 270 j Henry Blaekett, 213 j It. Bickman, 165 j J. B. Wilson, 80 j Jai. 75; Joseph. Beswick, 59; Staunton, IS,; IP. Tipping, 9. The first three were therefore declared by M. Dixon, Esq. Chairman to the Board, to be duly elected. The meeting was very numerously attended by the irtorking classes.

publishing 7*~iw**, "?*,? of«» H«p Hetol - dto, » #■» im f m Aver Boab ratejjajers <* tiwf™* afcricihdd. »•*««.* Medd^'***?***?"* 1 for thepurjw" of electing tbw» xneUers in tbeplace of Men. Thomson, Palmer axrfj Winter, who retired. The re-election of Messrs/ Thome* and Pabntr took place, MrC. Wright peing elestedin the pbee of Mr Winter: ) Pxnrcns' Tiouium.— Wβ are w>o7 to hare to ncord such a poor house lMtmght, which *m the hat of the pantomime. The piece was deserting of s larger .mount of patronage than has been bellowed on it, and was a credit to a town of the «ze of Chrtetcnurch. The "Marriedßake" was repeated ss the afterpiece: There *v a certain carelessness about the acting for which poeeibly an excuse would be found in the few spectators present. The Ljeter troupe perform again to-night. The opera selected is « Lucrezia Borgia," one which gires both Madame Seeott and Miss Hodgson the opportunity of appearing to the greatest adrantage. On Friday the Octoroon is to be played: If we recollect aright, this piece drew some of the largest attendances some months back that hare ever been seen in the theatre. We presume that Mr Hall will appear as Salem Scudder, the representatiTe of Jacob McCkwky we are not able to state.