The Star. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1883.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4788, 4 September 1883, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1883.

Thh Hovsb of Bbpbbsentauybs have struck out a olause from the Fublio Work* Amendment Aot, which gave the Colonial Secretary the right to license railway refresh* ment rooms. Tbie was done on the motion of Mr Hobbs, who alleged that "it would be unfair to neighbouring publioans." Now, if there is one plaoe in tbis world that can reasonably claim a right to a license for the sale of intoxicating liquors, it is a railway refreshment room. Feoplo come out of the train after a long journey, cold, oramped, and unoomfortable. They watt something to drink. Of course, according to the Good Templars, no one ought to want other stimn> lants than tea or coffee. But all are not Good Templars or Blue Bibboniter, and it ie not everybody who likes tea or ooffee, made in refreshment room style. The vile deoootions whioh go by the names of tea and ooffee are utterly abominable to most people* It does teem hard that they Bhould be compelled to drink them, because a " neighbour* ing publican's " is tbe only plaoe where they oan obtain a glass of beer. We wonder that railway refreshment rooms are allowed to sell buns and biscuits, considering that "the neipbhouriog baker or grocer " will sell these articles, and may be injured by the traffic. But nobody is found to lift up a voioe on behalf of the injured baker, while the pub* lioan has plenty of friends in the Bouse. We should really like to know why the vested interests of the publican are always so tenderly cone'derrd.