WANGANUI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 17

WANGANUI.

The news of the death of Sir P. A. Buckley created genuine regret here. Tho deceased gentleman was widely known and much respected in this part of tho Colony, where he had a largo number cf sincere friends. His long friendship with tho late Hon John Ballanco, who esteemed Sir

Patrick Buckley highly, was well known. During his visits to Wanganui Sir Patrick was always most warmly welcomed by his numerous friends here, and it was hoped that ho would have been spared to occupy the Supremo Court bench here; hut it was not to he. We shall miss the genial, witty, kind and courteous knight who has gone to his rest so widely and sincerely regretted. Tho splendid meeting accorded the Hon

J. G. Ward and tho evident good effect of that gentleman’s speech on those present was gall and wormwood to tho local Con-

sorvaf ives,who aro spoon-fed from Wellington by the National Ass. purveyors of political news, “free, gratis and for nothing ” to country join mils. To counteract, if possible, those good impressions Sir Robert Stout is to he brought here to address the eloctois on Moinby evening next;, when no doubt w'i . -1 11 ! t be again (old Unit the late lion John Ball.nice 1 1 quu.ithod his leadership of the Liberal Party to Sir Robert Stout, who as a lawyer ought to have seen that so valuable a bequest was properly set forth in a legally executed and witnessed will. Has it never struck Sir Robert that ifl what lie avers the late Premier to iuvol said on this matter is correct, it is passing strange Mi* Lallancc never told his colleagues anything’ about such a wish on his part, or asked their acceptance of Sir Robert Stout as their leader when death should liavo rendered it necessary to select such a person ? Sir Robert Stout in his political .speeches is always very strong on tho necessity for political purity and Ministerial freedom from political jobbery. How does lie reconcile these high-flown opinions with Hr George Fisher’s late statements regarding tho district railways and Government insurance purchases ? Mr Kettle, S.M., commuted the sentence of three months’ imprisonment inflicted upon D. Howard, of Karioi, into a heavy fine, the penalties in the two cases amounting to uo less than £29 12s. This ought to make it abundantly clear to anyone inclined to break the laws against “sly grog selling” that it won’t pay to do so. What is wanted at Karioi is an accommodation license, as it is tho

central point where a number of important inland roads meet, and where a large number of travellers have to put up. These latter have a right to be able to procure liquor at an accommodation house so far from any licensed hotel, and it is very hard on tired and drenched wayfarers to reach Karioi in midwinter when the Muriinotu plains which they have for hours been ploughing through are knee-deep in snow, only to find that they cannot get a glass of hot whisky to thaw them back to warmth and feeling again. Howard, who keeps the Karioi accommodation house and store, has given his own stock of “ medical i comforts ” away to such travellers times without number and was convicted, not for selling grog at a profit, but for taking an order to Wanganui for a native, and allowing the stuff to be consigned to himself and collecting the cost price and carriage thereof from the native, who later on gave information to the police. Under the circumstances the general opinion here is that Howard has been too heavily fined.