# Charleston: Its Rise and Decline/Chapter 12

Chapter XII.
HOTELS AND PUBLIC-HOUSES.
IT has been said, perhaps correctly, that the number of public-houses on a goldfield is an indication of its prosperity. In Charleston district there were about 80 operating at the same time, though records show about double that number of names. Many, however, bore in turn several names, each new licensee giving the building a new name. In numerous cases there were several licensees and several names for the same building, during a year. Also, the same name was given to different buildings at different times; there were, for example, three City Hotels, in different parts of the town, each at a different time; two Royals; two Criterions; two Empires; two Harp of Erins; and two Great Republics.
In 1868 three breweries worked simultaneously, the Star, the Standard, and Strike’s. Later there were two, and later still, only one.
In addition to public-houses and breweries, every store held a wholesale license to sell fermented and spirituous liquors in quantities of not less than two gallons. License fees were, for retail business £30, and for wholesale £10 per annum. Hotels were the recognised meeting-places for all purposes—public meetings, sports societies, cricket and football teams, racing committees, lodge meetings, electoral committees, and even church committees. Prior to the provision of church buildings, services were held in certain hotels, also in the Courthouse. At least one marriage was solemnised in the Melbourne Hotel.
In 1869, with a population of about 12,000, there were at least 80 public-houses—one to every 150 persons, including women. As there were about five males to every female, ​this meant a public-house for every 125 men. This in addition to the breweries and wholesale licenses. How the community supported this number causes conjecture to-day; but the ease with which gold was obtained resulted in the loss of conventional ideas of its purchasing power, in the value of money, and in matters of thrift. Fortune was always just around the corner; the supply of wealth appeared to be inexhaustible. In Camp Street from Section 251 to Section 140, a distance of about five chains, were seven public-houses in almost unbroken sequence, with as many more within stone-throw of either end. Prince’s Street East, about four chains in length, had nine, and several other streets had each about the same number. There was no limit to the number of licenses granted, and scant regard to the suitability of applicants or premises. A large proportion of the licensees were single women.
Mr. C. Broad, the first Resident Magistrate, made a trenchant report upon these matters, and upon “the absence of law or regulations as to the accommodation that licensed houses should have”; and commented upon the manner in which many were conducted. In the words of an old resident, “Pubs were as thick as shamrocks in a bog; and there were as many publicans as sinners.” “Shouting,” i.e., treating, was a universal practice, “the universal courtesy among gentlemen.” Although a hard-drinking age, drunkenness was not as evident as might be assumed; men carried their liquor well, and took a pride in doing this. Though all licensed houses were termed “hotels,” many made no pretence to being such, even in the colonial acceptance of the term, but were merely drinking places, gambling rooms and worse; very many were but shacks.
Naturally, gold being plentiful, gambling was rife. It has been said that New Zealand is a land adapted to poker, it having Three Kings to the north, a Strait at centre, and a Bluff at its south.
Three of Charleston’s Hotels were double-storeyed, the Melbourne, the European and the Club, which was later named the Criterion. Of these the two former were the leading houses and compared favourably with the best on the gold-fields of that day.
​The Melbourne Hotel was on Section 400, a house of 12 bedrooms, built by Messrs. Sommer & Johnstone, of Greymouth, in May, 1867. It was opened by them on the 4th of that month, as “Johnstone’s Melbourne Hotel”; the Charleston Argus announcing that on that day “from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., all-comers would be properly entertained at the proprietor’s expense.” The next landlord was J. Hamilton, also in 1867. In January, 1868, it was acquired by Harry Kennedy, of Kennedy & Heighway, which firm dissolved partnership in March of that year. On 6th February, 1868, the half-interest of Samuel Heighway was sold by auction. On 21st September, 1868, the entire interest was purchased by Gilmer & Co. for £900. Later landlords were Owen McArdle, Richard Warne, P. O’Conor, and Thos. Lander. It was destroyed by fire in 1904 and was not rebuilt.
The European Hotel was on Section 138. This, now the only remaining licensed house in Charleston, stands in solitary state upon what was in early days the town’s busiest centre, and looks out upon the waste that once was Charleston. Its walls once vibrated with the sounds of revelry and mirth, its large concert-room rang with song, music, and the tap of feet in dance. In its busy rooms many met to discuss enterprises and finance and sport; here Masons and other Lodge-men observed their rites and rituals. If walls could speak, what history might be written! The first landlord was Charles Weitzel, in 1867. There followed Arthur King, Charles Woodhead, Alex Peters, and John Powell who still holds the license.
The West Coast Hotel. Although not a leading hotel this was, for forty-five years, one of the most popular; and Mary Smith, its landlady for over forty years, one of the most widely-known and respected of the pioneers. Arriving at “Pakihi” about 1869, from Waimea where her son was the first white child born, she opened a hotel at Broomielaw, but about 1870 removed thence to the West Coast Hotel, which she conducted until her death on 8th August, 1912. During this period she did not leave Charleston even for a visit elsewhere, and one of her last-expressed regrets was that she had “not seen the Westport bridge.”
​The number of licenses decreased as rapidly as did the gold output. In 1869 there were at least 80; in 1873, 26; 1882, 8; 1903, 4 (European, Melbourne, West Coast, Welcome Inn); 1904, the Melbourne was destroyed by fire; 1905, 3 (European, West Coast, Welcome Inn); 1912, Mary Smith, licensee of West Coast Hotel died; 1913, 2 (European, Welcome Inn); 1933, License of Welcome Inn allowed to lapse; 1940, 1 (European).
In early times the pressure of competition called for much ingenuity on the part of licensees to attract trade to their respective houses, and they vied with each other in endeavours to induce patronage. Taking 1868 when the town was near its peak of prosperity, the advertisements give evidence of these efforts: “Free reading rooms,” “billiard matches,” “free singing and dancing every night,” “first-class company,” “quiet, comfortable evening,” “free wizardry exhibitions,” “free grand balls,” and so forth. The Casino de Venice, later the Theatre Royal Hotel, had a free entertainment every evening—“something fresh every night.” The Ballarat Hotel offered a “Grand Free Ball, all accordingly invited.” The Oddfellows’ Hotel advertised “A free-and-easy, every evening.” The Shamrock Hotel offered a “Grand Ball and Supper. No tickets issued. All are invited.” The Belle de Union Hotel notified a “Grand Ball. No tickets issued. All are invited.” The Racecourse Hotel and Vauxhall Gardens, kept by Frank Hall at Nine-mile Beach, offered a “Grand Free Ball. All are invited. By arrangement with the proprietors of the Nile bridge, it will be open, free of toll, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.”
Now there is but one hotel, and the town is no more!