A NEW TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 189, 24 June 1873, Page 5

A NEW TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.

We have much pleasure in complying with a request that we should publish the°prospectus and rules of a Society lately established at Cardrona under the title of the " Upper Clutha Temperance Society." The names of the gentlemen chosen as office-bearers will, we believe, be accepted as a suffie'ent guarantee that the promoters of the Society are thoroughly sincere in their desire to check the evil effects of the drinking customs so universal throughout the Colony, and more particularly in mining communities. The motto adopted by the Society is " Use, but not Abuse." Mr E. Farquhar, late of the Wanaka Sawmills, is the president ; Mr Thomas Allan, formerly manager of the Wanaka Station, is secretary ; and Mr S. Growney of Branch Creek, treasurer. The prospectus states :

The object of this society is the prevention of the immoderate use of alcoholic liquors. The initiators, although fully aware of tlio laudable efforts made hv Abstinence Sociaties in this district for the prevention of drunkenness, have arrived at the conclusion that only a very slight measure of success has attended them : they have not failed alto/ether, but they have nnqufcs ionably failed to effect much good. The immense amount of drunkenness in our mi Ist • the incalculable amount of injniy it is working both on the bodies and minds of many of our : fellow men ; the long list of fatal accidents, dir ctly trace ible to drunkenness, that have occurred in this district: and the very slight mexsuie of success attending all previous efforts made to suppress it. suiipiy irrefragable arguments why the establishment of this Society should at least receive the consideration of every thinking man. If its establishment is not aa imperative necessity, ir, is at lerst ;> praiseworthy experiment. Trie whole object the initiators seek is to prevent as many as possible of the moderate d inkers, through the exercise of some measure of self-denial, from slipping over into the inebriate iauks. The rules of the Society are as follows : 1. Any member of this Socie'-v is permitted to take two wine-ulassfuls of alcoholic liquors in a day of twenty-four hours, or as uianv glassfuU of unintoxicating liquors as he may deem necessary. 2. No member shall be. admitted into the Society unless approved of by a majority of its members. 3. All members joining the Society shall pay two-and-dxpence as an entrance fee. 4. In the event of nnv member exceeding the stipulated amo:tnt of alcohol liquors, he will be liable to a fine of hronhv shillings. 5. The fund accruing from tines and fees will be applied to the oavnieut of general expenses incurred by the Society. G. Unintoxicating liquors are—lemonade, ghi•rer beer, raspberry wins, ginger wine, and sarsaparilla.