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COUNTRY TAVERNS. Mx. Epitrorz—

The subject of this communication will doubtless be viewed very differently by different persons, as it may chance to clash with the diversified interests of the peo-

pie of P. E. Island generally, and perhaps may be sub- boul to on ordeal very disconsonant to the writer's ‘feelings and opinions. Be that as it may—I shall not bo deterred from giving publicity, with your approba- tien, to a few suggestions, involving mora? considera- tions of a most important character. I have reference (o the facilities afforded, by the Law as it now stands, te open what are called Taverns throughout the coun- try. That a better state ef things can be brought about #t 2 very trifling expense to the country, is undeniable. { would here take the liberty of pressing upon each ‘aember of the Legislature before the opening of the next Bession, the moral obligatiof he ought to feel him- »e'fander to his constituents to take a scrupulous sur-

vey of his District. And in almost every District of

the Island what will bethe result? As regards the sharacter of public houses, will he not come to the Le- 4gsiature prepared to say that, either in a moral or phy-

sical point of view, the character pf nine-tenths of a,

places is a consummate disgrace to the country and its Legislature? Will not the whole 24 members unite is acknowledging this fact? I beg of them, in the name of every constituency in the Island, that they take the trouble of acquainting themselves with the evil, and { am satisfied that a remedy will soon be found. You,

Mr. Editor, being confined to town, seldom have occa-

sion to cail atsuch places; but what would you think,

Sir, if, in a tour through the Island, one half of the wlaces you call at for refreshment, you ask first, per- haps, fora glassof Brandy? ‘The answer is, No, Sir.

Whiskey? No,Sir. Gin? No,Sir. Wine? None.

What have you then? We have Rum,Sir; and when examined you would say, Why, Landlord, you should have eatd, No, Sir, to the rum question too, for really it, has no more the taste of rum than of any other liquid ; basides there is meither decanter, tumbler nor pitcher— the house apparently broomless from its erection—you | must sit on either a box, stool, or bag of bran, if you sit) xtall, and can take notes of every thing passing at the four cardinal points through the apertures of this thing called, forsooth, a House of Entertainment. Is your heap seting.enin? one Mee fonie-s Konan Panne there would be a falling off in the revenue. No such them. ‘The waiters too—but enough, for in scores of - pieces an attempt at description would baffle human aku How hungry can you suppose a person to be be- tore be could summon courage to sit down to dinner in auch a place? no meat, no bread, bad potatoes, no any- thing that ought to be. All this may produce a smile -hut were you to travel as muchas I have done through ihe Island, a frown would grace your brow. And why s@ it ao? because in a day’s ride you pass, very likely, thisty such places; in some localities, a half dozen in the distance of a mile or two, each having their favour- ite customers, thereby dividing the public patronage in- te so many partsas renders each unable to get up a ilouse of Entertainment fit for the reception of any but inedsiates, which creatures such places are only caleu- iated to create, and which they do by scores. And all this evil arises, first from the manner of granting li- e¢azes ; and secondly, from the price at which they are “mained. As regards the channel through which li- 3 are to be got, one moment's reflection will suffice

r@ its abgurdity,—for instance, & new Governor «\i¥@s—-po restraint being invested in hit or his ad- y sera, an application is made for a licence to open a pullie howse--the Governor, if he had the power, and

ever so much izelined, is prevented from offering any

. 0 remarks as te She propriety or impropriety ef granting

&

Examiner,

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“THIS is PRUE LIBERTY, WHEN FREEBORN MEN — HAVING TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC, MAY SPEAK FREE.” —~Bvnsipas.

eaeied a. nen

- CHARLOTTETOWN, P. E. ISLAND, MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1849, ‘[No. 76.

Te aa caer ave SCC a Cea etal te ttetsettete tga pnt ttibiiutethes tcinngsatatatiinanan

the licence, from the fact of his being wholly ignorant of the person applying, or his locality. You may say the Council could inform him. I say not; scarcely one of the Council know any thing about the applicant or his location. You will probably say, but the Magis- trate’s certificate is a guarantee. Is it indeed? I as- sure you, from occular demonstration, in four cases out of five, it is no guarantee at all. I feel that this isa delicate point of my subject, but must speak out : certi- ficates are obtained, in many cases, at the expense of sacred oaths. Many of the Magistrates, Iam sorry to say, are but too much inclined to have houses of enter- tainment near them, and are blind to the degradation which, in nine cases out of ten, is inflicted on the neigh- bourhood in which they are established.

Thus far I had written six months ago, and laid it aside ; and perhaps I would not have prosecuted the subject any further, had I not observed in a letter sign- ed X., published in Tue Examiner, No. 63, the very remedy that [ first intended to propose, in order that a stop may be put to the wide-spread evils I complain of, namely, the adoption of the Nova Scotian method of granting licences. It was buc lately I acquainted my- self with that method. Numerous applications are made for licences in the Province { have mentioned by lazy drones; but the Grand Jury of the County in which the applicant resides, and who are necessarily acquainted

with his character and fitness for the vocation, use a dis- ‘cretionary power, and grant no licence for the opening ofa public house, unless they are convinced it is need- ed, and that it would be kept in an orderly manner. By this exceljent regulation, the majority of public houses in Nova Seotis are respectable est»blishments, instead of being dens of imquity; and if our licence Jaw was remodelled, and made similar to that of Nova Scotia, there would be a far less number of Country Taverns, so called, than are to be found at present in different localities of the Island—in many small settlements three or four quite close to each other,—and those that remained would be houses, no doubt, of a respectable character. Whi! not humanity rise indignant at the

‘thought of such facilities being allowed to exist for ma-

nufacturing drunkards? The competition is such that liquor can be obtained at a moderate price, and often of the worst description: thus a way is legalized for the \demoralization of one half of the rising generation. I do trust that the Legislature will do something at its next Session to ameliorate the abominable evil. Well, you say, that the Treasury must be replenished year by year, and that by limiting the number of public, houses,

fear need be entertained for one moment. 1 am confi- dent that if but one public house were allowed to each settlement, a very marked improvement in the style of entertainment offered to the public, would be the re- suit; besides, one tavern well kept, could afford to pay as large a licence duty as fire or six put together, when they are badly and poorly kept. As you have the means of fully acquainting yourself with the Nova Scotia Li- cence Act, I need do no more thaa refer you to it.

In conclusion, | beg to say that it was intimated to me lately by a very respectable man, that, in his opin- ion, the licencing of Stores was an evil of which the Government does not seem to be aware. The most of such licences are much abused, from the fact of the store-keepers selling in smaller quantities than a quart, and allowing the buyers to drink in the stores ; besides, liquor being obtained cheaper that way than at the ta- vern, two or three club tegether—purchase a quart, and swil] it down in a hurry for fear of detection, and thus prepared for any thing, tumble into the tavern drunk— when all manner of irregularities are practised, to the eternal disgrace of the community and themselves.

Iam, Sir, your, obedient servant, _.

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some liberties with his communication, but we trust he will likewise discover that we did so with a view to ite improvement. Itis disagreeable to have to reject « communication, which may contain useful hints, on ac- count of irregularieties of style, and errors incidenta! to haste in composition, or to the want of a due regard to grammatical rules, But we beg to remark that it is not the duty of an editor to correct the MSS. of others —to prune redundancies and supply omissions: every writer for the press should remember, that the only true passport to an editor’s favour is, clean and correct com- position.—As regards the condition of the country ta- verns, we doubt much that legislation could ever effect any improvement in them. ‘The only remedy, we think, for those that are badly and irregularly kept, is to jet the travelling public discountenance and shun them. Nova Scotia is cited: in many a weary day’s journey through the eastern and western sections of that Pro- vince we failed to discover many of those mode) inne which the Licence Act there is supposed to encourage: there are many very bad ones as well as good; and such will always be the case, especially se in poor and scattered settlements. If it were not for making iny: dious distinctions, we could name more than ascore of public houses in the eastetn and western divisions of the Island, that are well and comfortably provided, cons dering the circumstances of the country, whilst we would be at a loss to name as many of an opposite character, If the latter abound, as our corresponde: : believes, public opinion, aided by the Temperance re- formation, will be the best corrective.—Ep. Px. |

| TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXAMINER. Sir;

Are you aware that Mr. D. M‘Lean lately called a public rseeting of his New London Electors forthe pur of explaining to them the principles of his Land Purchase Bill, introduced Last Session, and ordered to be printed, and that his call was responded to by abouta dozen in- dividuals? Such is the fact. fam well informed that Duncan was so much disgusted with the indifferenceor apathy of his neighbouring constituents, that he was more than uncommonly unhappy in his eraterical dis- plays. This failure must, I suppose, secount for the fact, that no notice of the meeting found its Way in- to the newspapers, Never having much admired Mr. M‘Lean’s style of public speaking, I did not fee} in clined for travelling to New London, in cold weather, in order to hear his speech on the occasion referred to ; but as you must have seen or heard read the Bill about which he brags somuch, a noticeof it inthe Examiner would, I am sure, be acceptable to the country gene- rally, and particularly to

An Evector or THe First District.

Brackley Point, January 13, 1849.

{We have heard the Bill read at the Clerk’s Table in the House of Assembly. In framing the Bill, Mr. Maclean borrowed, we believe, an idea from his co!- league (Mr. Coles), and spoiled it. When we have leisure we shal] endeavour to satisfy the curiosity of aa “ Elector,” on the subject of it—Ep. Ex.}

Mr. Epiron—

Can you inform the public how it is that the pumpe of Charlottetown are so wofully out of repair that it ia with great difficulty a pail of water can be obtained from tapy of them? Is the contractor not paid for at- tending to his business in this respect? Surely our townsfolk pay a sufficiently high tax to entitle them, at any time, to a good supply of

ORE A a ae

Corp Water. January 13. : [We know not how to account for the inefficient state

of the Pumps—it certainly cannot be owing to want of ‘

funds. Besides the inconvenience which must now be felt, damaged Pumps wonild be agreatevil in the event

(Our correspondent will perceive that we have taken) of a fire taking place.—Ev. Ex-}

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