Poetry Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 643, 6 March 1879, Page 2

Poetry Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1879.

At the Gisborne Licensing Court on Tuesday last, a complaint was laid by the Police against Mr. James King, landlord ofthe Karawa Hotel, for improper conduct towards Mr. Thelwall and Mr. Mclntosh. As to the bad behaviour of Mr. King there can be no manner of doubt whatever. Two respectable tradesmen, travelling through bush country on business, put up at an hotel, and asked for tea. This was a reasonable request, and one which any landlord should have complied with on short notice, notwithstanding the breakfast hour had passed by. Mr. King supplied the travellers with milk ; . but milk, although on occasion a good substitute, is not tea, and for tea Mr. Thelwall made a second request, when Mr. King "grumbled." Mr. Thelwall thereupon made an entry m the visitors' book, complaining of the treatment he had received. This caused Mr. King's temper to boil over, but had not the same effect on his tea kettle. As the travellers were parting, Mr. King came to Mr. Thelwall and Mr. Mclntosh, and said he did not wish to be unfriendly, but if they had anything against him they could take it out. Then Mr. King put himself m fighting attitude for attack and defence. This is a way some men have. We could imagine it of Mr. Jem Mace or Mr. Deaf Burke, but we ought not to imagine anything of the kind coming' from, the landlord of a licensed hotel as possible. Mr. Thelwall and Mr. Mclntosh both preferred not to fight, as not being equal even to milk as a substitute for tea. Both travellers went their way, and subsequently, upon what had appeared m the visitors' book, the police laid an information ; and it was a very proper , duty for thepolice to perform. The charge being substantially correct, Mr. King, very wisely, admits it, but naturally attempts to qualify it by explanations :— The travellers had come long after breakfast. He sent m milk while he was preparing tea. They had a few words, and possibly he had been hasty. Perhaps, however, the others were not free from blame ; but he had apologised. Mr. Mclntosh and Mr. Thelwall were personal friends of his, and he was sure they would not do anything to his injury ; and we are quite sure from our knowledge of ! Mr. Thelwall and Mr. Mclntosh, J that it would be contrary to their ] well-known kindly natures to injure any one — friend or stranger ; but it was the police that made the charge, and not Mr. Thelwall or Mr. Mclntosh. We now come to what we consider the severity of the punishment which is to fall upon Mr. King. His license is not to be renewed at the June sitting. He is not mulcted m any money penalty ; he is not admonished : he is not permitted to give redress or compensation, but Mr. King is told that m three months time his license will be refused him. This, to Mi-. King, means his commercial ruin, or something very nigh akin to it. For an ordinary assault, an offender, as a rule, escapes with a forty-shilling penalty; for challenging a man to fight he is simply bound over to keep the peace ; but when it comes to a landlord of an hotel losing his temper, and offending his personal friends, who have long since forgiven him, he is to be ruined. If the Licensing Bench feel that they are amenable to public opinion, we are sure they will not carry out their expressed intention. Adequate punishment for an offence is one

and it is m this light the public will consider it. If Mr. King is not fit to keep a public Hotel three months hence, he is not fit to keep one this week. It is m these things Licensing Commissioners so frequently stultifiy themselves. We do not say that Mr. King did not act very improperly, but we do say, and we know many others will say the same, that the threatened punishment is out of all proportion to the offence ; and, we ' may add to our remarks, that if Mr. King was willing to fight two of his customers, we know of two cases where he fought for and m defence of his customers, and has saved them from being cruelly- maltreated. Perhaps the Licensing Bench will allow Mr. King's good qua] ties to be placed m the scale against his late offence. Hasty men, and even fightable men, will often be found to have the ring of true metal m them. Mr. King is no doubt sorry for his offence, and is willing to make amends ; but we do not think he ought to be completely crushed out of his calling.