MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, 30 December 1892, Page 27

MASTERTON.

The Christmas season proved an unusually busy one in Masterton, and judg ing by the number of people about and the business the shopkeepers have been doing, prosperity has returned, and, let us hope, to stay. With the influx of shearers and station hands, who have come to town to knock down their cheques, as might be expected some very undesirable characters aie included, and residents have to keep an eye on things movable. On Friday evening the business premises of Mr George Heron were entered, one of the front windows being cut right out with a chisel or sharp knife. An attempt was also made to enter an inner office where cash is usually kept, but the effort was unsuccessful. So far Mr Heron is unable to say whether anything has been removed until he goes over his stock. The police have the matter in hand, but, so far have obtained no clue to the affair.

Court Loyal Enterprise, A.0.F., Masterton, is in a very flourishing condition, the Masterton people apparently fully realizing the advantage of belonging to a benefit society. Considering the size of the place the membership is _ unusually large, and the financial position of the Court is excellent. The members have decided to hold a monster picnic on Anniversary Day (January 22nd), and are now making active preparatons for the event. Another prosecution, by the police against the licensee of the Star Hotel has ended in smoke, and Mr C. A. Pownall has succeeded in getting a dismissal. This makes the twentieth charge laid against the house, under different proprietors, during the past three years which has been successfully defended. Everybody knows that the licensing laws are evaded on every hand, but very few care to bring charges against publicans, and if the police are urged on by prohibitionists to take notice of the infringements of the Act, there always appears to be some loophole of escape, and a conviction is but seldom recorded. A publican's life is certainly not one of roses, and he has much to put up with not the least of which is the dread of laws which it is impossible for him to keep, because his clients will not let him. Publicans generally would only be too glad if their customers would depart peacefully at the proper closing hour and give the proprietors a chance to obtain proper rest. If a publican insists on keeping the law in its strict letter he very soon finds trade going elsewhere, and he is voted a disagreeable fellow, while his less conscientious* but more obliging fellow tradesman is lauded to the skies and does a rattling business. Clearly some big reforms are needed in the liquor laws.

Mr C. A. Pownall was installed Mayor of Masterton, for the third consecutive term, on Wednesday last. At the installation His Worship spoke in very complimentary terras of the harmonious way in which councillors had worked with him, and predicted that they would have something in the way of good work done to look back upon at the end of three years. Mr W. B. Buick, of the Opaki, has decided to part with a large number of his horses, and arrangements have been made with Messrs Lowes and lorns to sell about fifty thoroughbreds and draughts on the sixth of January next.