THE PACKET LICENSES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11741, 19 September 1902, Page 7

THE PACKET LICENSES.

To the Editor. Sir,-^-In your leading columns* of this m6fmn^"yt>u'pu&lte4-sevjeral letters handed to you by Ma*. Kett.e, -written by Mm to the Hon. the Native Minister, to show (as you state) that Mr. Kettle is capable of .a decent action. In this caste I do not agree with you; in fact, the action is the reverse of Avhat you say, and its nothing short cif gross misrepresentation. Mr. Kettle states that the action of the Committee and himself is due to a desire to prevent liquor being sold off the boats lor consumption on shore, and to prevent parents and teachers accompanying school excursions from obtaining liquor. The latter is ridiculous in the extreme and a gratuitous insult to thoeie referred to, and the former insinuation, that liquor is sold in the Avay inferred, has no foundation in fact, and I challenge Mr. Kettle • >> prove that liquor has ever been sold on my boats to natives to ..take with them asihore. Mr. Kettle states She is anxious to protect* the river tourist traffic.. Hoav is he doin,g so? By injuring it in every possible way in his power. He has reiused to continue the lioensses (whk?h -have been granted sinee r _J 4 886, prior to any proclamation), beoa-use he states, that it i.: possible that the bed of the; river orv^r 1 i.:h the steamer** sail might come Avitihin ' ;-u /vopo of a prodamiaition granted in 'P-oi. Amd so anxious (?) is Mi*. Kettle to protect the tourist traffic that he could not alloAV the licenses to continue until the Government dealt with the matter. And s4o anxious (?) is he to encourage the traffic that he could not see his way to assist us in having his strained technical objection tested at once a.nd inexpensively. No, nothing short of my being put to the heavy cost of making expensive applicatioai to tSie Supreme Cb.u.rb Avould suit Mr. Kettle's ideas, and that in the meantime the, tourist traffic stould be protected by the licenses being canceled. Let anyone look at the letters! you have published and Mr. Kettle's action, and ask themselves if Mr. Kettle's claim of interest in the Avelfare of tiie tourist traffic is upheld by his conduct.— - I am, etc., ALEXANDER HATRICK. P.S.—-Mr. Kettle has long known of the proclamation. Whyhas he not raised; the technicality before? In his letter to, the Minister on the l^tli instant, Avhy does he deliberately kee-^. back the fact that counsel contended the river does not come within the scope of the proclamation, and that the Committee .and himself were splitting -straws? And why does Mr. Kettle not explain his. statement (in connectiqn. Avith his knoAvfledge of. the proclamation) made from the bench, Ijeing only of a few Aveeks duration?