TOTAL ABSTINENCE IN AUSTRALIA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1043, 14 April 1882, Page 3

TOTAL ABSTINENCE IN AUSTRALIA.

W t e have received the annual report of the Melbourne Total Abstinence Society for the past year. The following selections will be of interest to many of our readers:

The principle of local option is gradually gaining in public estimation as it becomes bettor understood, and it is hoped that the advantages arising from legislation founded upon this principle will soon be realised. Your Committee are pleased to report that the sixth animal temperance gala, held in the grounds of the National Agricultural Society, St. Kilda.road, on the 23th December (Boxing Day,) was, like its predecessors, a great success, the attendance being estimated at over 30,000, Idle weather being all that could be desired, amusements of every desorintiou having been libarally nrovided, and ihe arrangements having been generally much improved by the experience gained in former years, the immense concourse appeared to thoroughly enjoy themselves : the absence of intoxicating drinks from the grounds largely added to the result, by the removal of one of the greatest sources of disorder and misconduct. It is a very significant fact that while the poh'ce authorities send, as a matter of course, their well-known van to serve as a portable lock up at similar gatherings where intoxicants are sold, and find its presence indispensable, they have never sent it to tho Temperance Gala, the most largely attended of all, and have never found its absence an inconvenience, not a single arrest having been made at those galas during the six years they have been carried on, notwithstanding that the attendance during that time has numbered over 150,000 persons. From tho accompanying Balance-sheet it will he seen that this year’s Gala has resulted in a profit of £BB6 Is Id.

The Committee have much pleasure in reporting that the popularity of the People’s Concerts has been well maintained during the past twelve months, tho average nightly attendance being about 1400. The gross receipts amounted to £llß7 9s 7<h, as compared with £l2Ol 12s 24 for the nrevious year, nothwithstanding that the hall was closed during four weeks for repairs. A special feature in t,ho history of the past year lias been the successful inauguration of the Victorian Alliance, which’ has for its object, the limitation and ultimate suppression of the traffic in intoxicating liquors. It proposes to secure these objects by calling forth an enlightened public opinion on the subject, and by promoting such legislative measures as will tend to place the traffic under direct popular control. An important, step in this direction has been the introduction in the Legislative Assembly by our President, the Hon. James Munro, M.L.A., as President of the Alliance, of a resolution founded upon the well-known “Local Option Resolution” recently carried in tho British Parliament, by Sir Wilfred Lawson. Air Munrn’s morion was well supported by friends of tho movement both in and out of Parliament, but it was found impossible to secure a division prior to tbe close of the Session. The resolution will again be introduced on tho re-assombling of Parliament.

From the accompanying Balance-sheets it will ho seen that the financial position of tho Society is in a more flourishing condition than at any previous period of its history, the amount of assets over liabilities being £12,979 7s 7d.