THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 149, 18 March 1908, Page 3

THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.

[The-matter in this,column is supplied by a representative of the.'New Zealand Alliance, arid The Dominion is in no way'responsible for the,opinions expressed therein.] A WORD' TO ANGLICANS. F. W. Farrar, D.D., F.R.S., late Dean of Canterbury, said:— "The demonstration of the blackness and; horror of the; curse caused by drink—iu the ruin of. human souls, in .the destruction of human, lives,, in tho debasement of whole nations ■ aiid races, in,'adding unutterable squalor and misery to the condition of the : poor, in swelling more than any other cause the hideous ( records, of< crime—is cogont and incontrovertible. .. . Men shrug their shoulders and go their way, and the world, the flesh, and the devil 'swagger on together arm: in arm,-', laughing' at/our to withstand tho combined forces of temptation and self-indulgence, of plethoric wealth and the political combination of interest, prejudice, and pride." To attempt any adequate estimate of tho miseries—the remediablo miseries—caused; by drink is indeed to gaze on—

"A dreary waste of undistinguished woes." Ono may say with Isaiah, "If one look into the: laud,' behold darkness and distress, and -the light is darkened jn tho clouds thereof." To exhaust, the . catalogue of disasters . for,, which' the drink ".traffic,' under its present J conditions, is responsible would be impossible in many hours. , ■ ".Wo demand that a majority of two-thirds of tho-people should have tho power,-now. possessed by . thousands of singlo landlords, suppressing publichouses altogether' in any> particular district." Tho lato Archbishop • of; Canterbury occupied- tho chair at the great meeting at which Dean . Farrnr. spoke these words. The Archbishop was at' the timo a vice-president of tho . National Temperance Union, tho main purpose of which.'was to obtain the right, of Local Option for tho peoplo. Ho was in active sympathy with No-licensc. Tho ..Convocation. of' Canterbury,. tho ■. great, Parliament of tho Anglican Church, says:— ■ "A legal pofrcr of restraining' the isstoe or ■ronowal of licenses should be placed in tho "■hands of tho persons most deeply interested and ; atfcicteil—viz;,:, tho inhabitants' them.'selves, • who are entitled to protection from tho .injurious;: consequences of-.:-,'the. ■ present ; system intoxicants)/'. ! Thq_York Con vocation passed-a similar resolution, and tho llev. Canon Bai'ker, M.A., Chaplain tQ the late Queen',, .says: "The Church; of England .is in .favour, of popular control '{of the liquor traffic) carried to the extent of prohibition." ,: ' ' Canon Wilberforce, M.A., says: "The hopo of future,.' speaking .frpm-'tbo. national, ■ v the-patriotic'standpoint', is in tho working men of, England.;; x When' once t they' have clearly perceived that'a' sober working class could ill five yeai's carry every measure of' 'reform .', they ■ desiro, onco their eyes are .'opened 'to the 'fiict that' tho ' immense' 'publichouse system, of-the country, the deriving of vast sums for the revenue from tho ■ bitter suffering and grinding pauperism of tho people, is a terriblfe 'offence against their class, tho present elaborate system of so-ciety-petted and Government-sanctioned temptation,is doomed; when,' looking at the . accumulated '-evils; pjressi ng upon, th.em, pointing to tho'shivering,"beaten children. . they turn upon the liquor. tralHo and say, This 'is your work; 'it is doomed.' "

; A COMPARISON. : The "North Qtago, Times," an .Oamaru paper, publishes the" comparative police returns of tho years 1905 to 1906 under License, and: 1906: to 1907 under No-license. Wo give the returns of all items, < thoiigh some 'could not possibly be affected by the absence or presenco of drink:—

"■ 1905-6.' 1906-7. Drunkenness ...\15G . '23' Breaches of. Licensing Act... 28 4 Obscene language' ... • 4; 3 .' Lunacy ... ... '. 9 ' 11 Railway by-laws ... ... 0 3 Disobeying orders ... ... 2 7 . Borough by-laws ... .... 32 14 Prohibition orders' ...' 33 . 6" Cruelty to'animals 1 ... ■ ... 1' ' 2' Bastardy 19 .12 Stone-throwing , ... ■ 0 ., . 2 Theft,.;.., - \ ; . . v . 15; 7 ; . ■Murder ..." ... 0. 1 Failing to destroy ,... 0 , '4 ., Wilful damage : ' ...1 ' 3 'Assault ... ... 4 2 Drunk in charge of horses ... 0 3 Breaking and entering ... ; 0 1 Offensive behaviour ... ■ ... " 1 8 Truancy ... •••• 12 5 Breaches of Slaughtering Act 0 5 Opium ... .;. ■ .... ■ 0 ' ■"' 5 Vagrancy , _ ... -4 , , 0 Resisting police 2 0 False pretences and uttering; 6 0 ; Arson: ... .... ••• -1. ,0 Breach of peace 7 1 Failure to support ... . ... 4 0 . Attempted crime ... ... 1 5 Trespass ••• 1 [K Indecency ... 1 0 Sundries . ••• ••• 8 • ■: * Totals ... ... ••• 352 134