OLD WEST COAST “PUBS”

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1932, Page 3

OLD WEST COAST “PUBS”

GULDEN WESTLAND’S SURPLUS.

STUDY IN HOTEL NOMENCLATURE.

The recent revival of gold mining in Westland has aroused widespread interest. Activities in the various West Coast district have awakened many vivid memories in the minds of those who took part in the early “rushes.” These oldtimers are full of the deeds of the “good old days.” Now, in the evening of life, they spend much time in reflection upon the period when the West Coast was perhaps, the busiest hive of industry in the young colony. Vast changes have taken place. One old. gold miner in reminiscent mood has spoken frequently of the large number of hotels, or saloons, which were dotted —in some parts clustered—about the countryside, and. investigation reveals many interesting details. To-day the saloon, as it was then known, has almost disappeared. Hither the miner repaired when he came in from his claim, the hospitality and. fered proving irresistible. The Wild West” of the cheap novel or the bnght-ly-lit bar, the laughter of men well pleased with the cheaply-decorated aurroundings after days, or weeks,. at their claims, the curses of men “in their cups,” the chatter of the dancing girls, crude music, inevitable card games, and the not uncommon sight of small arms is recalled by tales of old West Coast public houses. How different from the ordinary hotel bar-room of to-day!. Statistics show that in the late ’sixties there were nearly 250 hotels, or saloons, in Westland. Hokitika alone had ninetynine! The population of the town was then about 60,000, of whom 35,000 were miners. Greymouth was next with fiftysix, and then Stafford with twenty-eight and Ross twenty-three. Other townships with licensed houses were Arahura and Waimea, each with nine, Piper’s .Flat and Kanieri each with seven, Scandinavian Hill and Six Mile Beach each with five, and Ballarat Hili’with one, a total of 249. Yet with this great number of licenses, the records state that “there was very little drunkenness among the people.” Licensing laws then were not so complicated as those of to-day. Business was carried on between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 p.m., and all. drinks were Is. Seldom was change given, it >being the accustomed practice to “cut out” the balance. The “rushes” having ended, and the population having departed, the number of licenses fell. To-day, we find the comparatively small total of forty-two hotels in Westland, compared with 249 in the earlier days. Greymouth still has twenty-one licensed houses and Hokitika fourteen. Other townships, which boasted several saloons, are now but settlements, some with a solitary license. Others are “dry.” Stafford, which at one time had twenty-eight licensed houses, is to-day the centre of a no-license district!

Many and curious were the names given the hotels, according to the fancy, or the nationality of the proprietor. In the “boom” days beer and spirits flowed in the Lord Nelson, the Albion, Prince, of Wales, Duke of York, British Empire, Shakespeare, Royal George, Horse and Groom, Bull and Mouth, Harp of Erin, the Rose, Shamrock and Thistle, the Galway Club, and Arms, Shamrock, Dan, O’Connell, Munster, Tyrone Family, Hibernian, Brian Bora, Mac’s, Swiss, Australasian, Scandinavian and BritishAmerican. Others commemorated wellknown gold strikes—Montezuma, Ballarat, El Dorado, and Shotover—all in Hokitika. In Greymouth were found the Albion, Old England, Prince of Wales, Queens, Royal, Robin Hood, Cave of Cork, Dan O’Connell, Harp of Erin, Murphy’s Family, Tara’s Old Hall, Edinburgh Castle, Alabama, Ballarat and Bendigo, Montezuma and Shotover. The Hand-in-Friendship, Rakes of Mallow and Black Ball were among the hotels of Stafford.