SLY GROG SHOPS AND GAMBLING HELLS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3045, 30 April 1867, Page 6

SLY GROG SHOPS AND GAMBLING HELLS.

To th« Editor of the Daily Southern Cross. Sib,— ln your publication of thin date, I notice a very sensible letter respecting disreputable persons being granted licenses for sale of spirits, &c. The writer, 1 presume, was not aware of the following facts, or he would have mentioned them, viz., — That nearly all the lodging-houses in Auckland and suburbs, Otahuhu, Onehunga, and other settlements, supply wines, spirits, ale, &c., to their customers with nearly M great publicity as any licenied house ; and, although done close under the nose of the police, it is rery rarely an information is successfully laid. At Otahuhu the licensed victuallers (paying £50 per annum license) can stand at their own doors and see their neighbours, who keep lodging-hou sei, sending drunken men into the streets, so that it might be ■uppoied they have got the drink at some licensed house. At Onehunga the same occurs daily and nightly, and is publicly talked of as a great nuisance in some neighbourhoods ; Fanmure and Howick all hare the same illegal places of resort. The majority of these places allow and encourage gambling; and card-playing, Ac. Now, sir, I do not mean to say that the police (from the smallaerc of the force, and heavy duties to perform) caa be expected to entirely prevent these practices ; but I wish to suggest that the licensed victuallers should combine for their own protection, and form a fund to reward handsomely •• any individual" giving such information as shall lead to a conviction of any person guilty of sly grogselling.—l am, &c, Observer.