GERALDINE HOTELS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13664, 5 August 1908, Page 2

GERALDINE HOTELS.

To the. Editor of the,"Timaru Herald." Sir, —I am reluctantly compelled again to advert to the subject of Geraldine hotels in order to remove some of Mr. Wreathall's delusions. When he says lam a resident, ot Uer.iidiue, lie says wiiat is riot true. I have brought no charge against any offictr. The policeman' charges himself. If .the hotels of Geraldine are as Mr Wreathall states, we should find evidence of this in the records of the police courts of recent years, but I think these records show that the Geraldine hotels are at least as well conducted as those of . any similar place. On the other hand I have shown by the next best evidence procurable that Mr Wreathall's statements are not founded: on fact. The. patrons of the lintels who stay, there in the course of their business, have protested strongly against the hotels being stigmatized as 'has been done' by Mr. ■ Wreathall and his friends. This evidence is on record; and can, and will, be produced at the proper time and place. : It is 'a rpity that the,- ; prohibitionists should ta°ke advantage of Mr Wreathall's weakness and. his inordinate desire of seeing his name in the newspapers, to exhibit him as a figure-head arid mouthpiece to propagate their notions. : Tn this capacity Mr. W. gives one' tire idea, of a sort of ti'w.te pipe lor trie' .., .uwiiiis.sion una dissemination of fag ends of stale sermons and prohibition lectures. In some of his let-, ters Mr W. condemns''the sale of liquor arid everyone connected with it, aid in another letter he rather admires the hotelkeepers, and says they are respectable men. ; What is anyone to. make of such a rnaii?-- One wo" Id supped" that men •of Mr Wreathall's opinions would sliun a publichouse as they would a pest-house, but such is not the- case., .1 know of a prominent, prohibitionist anil an ordinary man who had imbibed, going to a hotel; the inebriated one "shouted," and kept on shouting till the v bartender refused to supply him any more; Mr. Prohib. all the while standing by and absorbing all he could get; the ,samo Mr.; Prohib.„ is now proud to find himself the adifiired of , teetotallers. ;ind l lie, iiappy niKrtrnm fif trans.mitting their tenets. -Js.uit; possible that Mr. Prohib. was watching is order- to entrap the publican, > and ■ bring a, charge against him. of a breach of the license laws? ■ ■ ■■Mr.-. Wreathall has announced his unflinching determination to put down vice and improve the morals of his district. Ho says he lias the courage to "advocate, if possible, the prosperity and progress of 'the people and consequent advancement of !-h? district." (V hj» going- to try for Parliament next lime?) Behold, then, Mr. Wr athall i» th; at-titu le. of a piibiic reformer! He is no longer plain Mr. Wreathall. He is now a public character. When lie has put down public-houses I wonder what species of immorality he will next attack ? Drunkenness, ! bad as it is, i has not found a place among the ten commandments, but there are other sins for-bidden-there which Mr. Wreathall, as acensor of public morals, might exert himself io put down. As a public mail who has pledged himself to lessen crime in his rieichboi'inood. people! ar? beginnino- to. inquire what department of the decalogue ;ir- wi.l take under his.-iroriiediate 'control and supervision.—l atii/ctc., -, ■ T'T : VIATOR.