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Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8934, 17 November 1890, Page 2

PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1890.

It is hard enough to pay the taxes which are legitimately due ; but to be harraaed and annoyed by persons who, for the time are invested with a " little brief authority" is past all endurance. The owner of the Napier brewery, a week or so ago, was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court of that town with fraudulently neglecting to keep books as required by the " Beer Duty Act, 1887." According to a contemporary, we learn that the firm of Messrs Robjohns and Co. pay something like a third of the total import duties collected at the port of Napier, and, on the fuce of it, it was ridiculous to suppose they would be guilty of endeavoring to evade the duties under the Beer Duty Act. Mr Robjohns accordingly resolved to contost the charges brought against him, and altogether declined to listen to any proposal that he should admit to technical errors in his books which would bring him under the Act. Accordingly the firm allowed the charges to be proceeded with, when out of the seven indictments four were dismissed on first day of hearing, and on the next day the other three cases were withdrawn. Some of the evidence adduced for the prosecution was as illogical as it was amusing. For instance, the excise oflicer admitted he knew nothing about brewing, '• but was accustomed to see much more beer produced from the quantity of malt used." An uncancelled stamp which the same witness swore ho got off a cask at one " Willis'," turned out to have been ; taken off " O'Driscoll's cask," and perfectly ! correct as to the date when it was can- ! celled. The excise officer, when faced ! with the stamp, had to admit " there had been a mistake in the stamps, and the one in hand must have been got at O'Driacoll's." Such trumpery charges as these being all that could be produced, the charges had to be dismissed ; but what surprised us is thftt tt)9 itewdsut.; fttegistnrt* did not

severely censure the pro.sec.ilo!-, Mr Jackman, for wasting his time in bringing such trumped up cases into Court.

— ( But there is a more serious aspect attaching to this matter. In his cross-examina-tion, Mr Jackman, the excise-officer ad- | mitted stating to the defendant's solicitor, Mr Cotterill, "that if the defendant would admit the Lreaches of the Act charged against him, and pay a fine of £75, he (Mr Jackman) would report in favor of such a course being adopted." Now, if Mr Robjohns had been a poor man, and had | dreaded the expense and uncertainty of the law, he might have compromised the matter by admitting technical errors, and have submitted to the minimum fine of £50, as was the case of breweries at Gisborne and Waipawa. The proprietors of those businesses did not defend themselves as they no doubt should have done, seeing tho hollowness of the charges brought against Mr Robjohns. "Surely the Act," as our conteinporay the Napier Telegraph says, " was never intended to be used as an engine for oppression and persecution, but it would seem that that is the light in which Mr Jackman regards it. If he does not so regard it, what is to be thought of the fact that out of seven sworn informations two were dismissed, two were abandoned, and, on the Court resuming again, the balance were withdrawn ? The case demands the serious attention of the Government, and we trust both the Resident Magistrate and the Crown Prosecutor will represent the matter to the Colonial Secetary. Why ? (asks the Telegraph") were three cases withdrawn after the four otheis had been dismissed. Were they trumped up, or were they so flimsy that they would not hold water ? We regard it as a most serious thing when a Government officer can go about the country bringing charges against an honorable man, tho least of which, i f substantiated, would render the offender liable to a heavy fine and forfeiture of his property." It is well for the country that someone has taken this matter up, for is ifc likely that brewers with a large amount of capital at stake will run the risk of having their brewery and plant forfeited to the Crown for the sake of defrauding the revenue of £7 or £8. The Customs and Excise Departments seem to be in the hands of men who appear to presume that the merchants, traders, and brewers in the colony are all dishonest. The quicker Government officials are corrected in this matter the better it will be for all; and wo hope that the members returned for the new Parliament will make it one of their first duties to cause a strict investigation to be made as to how the Government officials carry out their duties in connection with the Customs and " Beer Duties Acts."

It will be seen by an advertisement elsewhere that a genuine treat is in store for the residents of Waitara and surrounding districts on Thursday evening next, when the Liliputian Minstrels appear in the Town Hall. A good programme has been carefully rehearsed by the youngsters. Mr Elliot addressed the electors at Urenui on Wednesday last, Mr C. Rowe being in tho chair ; and at Bell Block on Thursday, Mr J. B. Connett being chairman. Votes of thanks were accorded the candidate on each occasion. The Gairloch will leave the breakwater for Waitara about 9 o'clock to-morrow (Tuesday) morning. A free passage will be given to any persons who wish to go down to Waitara. \± The strike of Union men employed at the Egmont Boot Factory is no nearer settlement than it was last week. The men still adhere to their determination that the standard wage should "be paid Allan for the work he does, and the employers refuse to concede the point. The Rev. Owen Curwen, of Auckland, notifies in another column that he will cure inveterate stutterers. Horseowners and trainers are reminded that nominations for the Boxing Day hack meeting close on Saturday next, 22nd November. The racecourse is largely patronised now of a morning by the horses that are in training for the season's racing. The s.s. Penguin did not come inside the breakwater on Saturday, on account of having no cargo for this port. At his election meeting in Carterton Mr Bunny Avas asked if he was in favour of stoats and weasels. His reply was, "Is it likely a ' bunny ' would approve of stoats and weasels? (Roars of laughter.) There are stoats and weasels outside of the animals we call stoats and weasels, and they are doing their best to get rid of t Bunny,' but they won't do it." (Laughter). (A voice — Old Buck ain't dead.) The petroleum experts are busily engaged at the breakwater in superintending the preliminary work, such as erecting the derrick, and clearing the ground in the vicinity. When boring is started, which will not be till next month, there will be night as well as day work, as it is intended to work two shifts of ten hours each. The derrick which is in course of erection will be about fifty feet in height. A meeting of the Ath'etic Club Committee was held on Saturday night, when Mr W. H. Skinner presented the balancesheet over the recent sports. This showed a clear profit of JtlO, which was considered highly satisfactory. A hearty vote of thanks was then passed to all those who assisted in carrying out the sports. The Committee then discussed the question of a programme for the Jubilee Sports. It was decided to draw up a programme to the value of £100 or a little over. The chief event will be the Jubilee Cup of 100, 220 and 440 yards, the value of which in prize money will be very substantial, a trophy being also added to the first prize. The Committee intend to have the track in first-class order for the sports, and to erect soats on all the terraces. The Company comprising the celebrated Faust Family and London Beliringcrs will arrive to-morrow morning from Auckland, and open in the Alexandra Uallon Tuesday evening in a most attractive entertainment. An excellent opening programme has been arranged, and there is sure to be a large attendance. The Beliringers' entertainment is said by the Australian Press to bo an exceedingly clever and refine-1 one, and "musically excellent in an exceptional degree." The Faust Family, in tbeir own particular line of the profession, have never been equalled. The remarkably clever performance presented by them in New Plymouth some five years ago will, no doubt, be still fresli in the unnda of many of our readers, and will be an extra inducement for them to again witness this j talented Family. A great number of novelties will be presented in the programme, while a few of tho most attractive acts introduced by them when last hero will ulso be included. Tho prices of admission are popular ones, viz., 3s, 2s, and Is. A bumper house should greet the Company on their appearance in the Alexandra Hall to morrow evening. We have been requested tc state that New Plymouth is the only town in the Taranaki district that the Company will appear at, us at the termination of the New Plymouth season the Company go dirQQt to Fitteu, thence to Waugaaui,