UNKNOWN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1281, 6 July 1886, Page 2

UNKNOWN

A correspondence lias recently taken place Let ween the Vico President of ! t:,e Chri-tchurch Licensed Victuallers A: s. ciation and the Sect Cary of the j |;lu-; Ribbon Gospel Temperance ] Union, of which the /Vv.w gives’ the following epitome. Mr C. Jv, Salter, I Secretary to t -C Union, wtote asking the I.icons cl Viet in Hers’ Association i to rcci ive a deputation, consisting of the Rev J. O’l’i. lloarc and Messrs Runlic, Isiu, Smith, and the..Sjcretary, in order that they might confer with the Association on the subjects of ! Su-.day trading, and the unsatisfactory | stale of the law with respect to clubs. To this Mr. C. K. Atny-,s, ViceI’nsident of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, replied that the Aesocaa--lion was not aware that Sunday trading ■ was carried on in Chrislchuich to any extent, but if, as Mr Sadler’s letter | would infer, such was the case, and that many of the citizens were desirous i of obtaining alcoholic refreshments on , that day, it would seem to point tr the ' o nclnsion that a change in the law ' was mcessaiy in the direction of | allow mg hotels to open at slated I hours during Sunday for the cm- ; veriien.ee of the public. Mr Aimes I added that at the time Mr i Sahei V letter came to hand, the Committee, having the cause ol real temperance at hc.ut, thought it would he do sii.iiHe to meet the blue Kibbonists and discuss both the subjects mentioned in tlu ir leitcr, when probably some good might have resulted. Ho goes on, however, to refer in strong terms to the disgust widi wh ch the Association ho.ml of the proceedings of the “ Vigilance Committee,” and continues by saying Licensed Victuallers’ Association can consent to an interview with the gentlemen named in your letter, for the discussion the subjects mentioned theiein, they muse receive a distinct assurance from you, not only that your Society is in no wry connected with the ‘ Vigilance Committee,’ but that you Let in common wi;h all right-thinking citizens., the utmost contempt for such unjustifiable proceedings.’’ In lire event of the Union not being able to give such an assurance, the Licensed Victuallers’ /■ ssocialior, Mr Amyes savs, must decline to 'hold any inter--ouisewiih the Society. He a his - in c mclussion, 1 am directed to inform you that any honest and legitimate efforts for the furtherance of the lemneraaco cause will always command tin wannest sympathies of this Assodai ion.”

Wo have no,i the advantage of an acquaintance with Mr Amyes, but we gather from bis letter that lie is a veritable Joe Mill r, ' with a very fine sense ul humor, and a rare appreciation cf i!i,; role of a droic Jc co;J>s. It was (liliieuic to evade the frank invita-

■ mi die Temperance Union; the oak esc.pc was icached by the adoption of the outfuuTgc we have quoted, and aldniugn the reply was not very logical n was certain to create a diversion wl.ii h would save the licensed victnalu rs —lltoac gentlemen who have the c:.u-e of real tcmporanco at heart—from an embarra.-sing interview with the intemperate advocates of total abstinence. It scents to ns, however, that the dccuKvc. victuallers have lost n gioat opportune) to prove the sincerity of their profession-. If, r.s Mr Amyes allege-., they arc really anxious to fnnvaid die cause of temperance, they should, at lea l, bare taken the trouble to a'-ccila'n the views ami aspirations of the proposed deputation. The excuse for non-centpliancc with the invitation the objcodon to the proceedings 01 the ‘•VAtii.f-ce Committee” —was exemduyglv weak, and the afl-re-lation of igncancc of the extent of Sunday trading carticd on in Christchurch was simply tidicalmis. Wc have met publicans who, we beluve, sincerely desired to remove the abuses connected with tnir trade, but we always found tnose i xccptions to tne general rule ready to discuss the various hv which llie question is j

our temperance friends would wish, j regard every licensed victualler as a . ciimin u, i. w can we always commend the pr i sedings of the total abstinence party, but in the present case we consider ihe action of the publicans a confession of weakness, and the proposal oi the Temperance Union an indication of growing strength and increased good sense.

avrango-ments.