Lecture on Prohibition

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 56, 29 October 1892, Page 3

Lecture on Prohibition

A meeting was held in the Salvation Army Barracks on Thursday evening last to hear an address on the above subject by the Rev. Mr Woods, ot Wellington. The Rey. Mr Lyon presided. The chairman, in opening the meeting, said the fact that Wellington sent a gentleman to address the residents in Feilding showed that we were going ahead here, and were evidently thought of some considerable account. Mr Lyon then spoke of the next general elections, when the ladies will, most probably, have an opportunity of expressing their yiews on this subject by means of the ballot-box. Mr Wood, in opening his address, said: He woud rather have seen a more disreputable audience, as.those present all seemed too well dressed, and evidently their money did not go into the publican's till. He then referred in glowing terms to the horrors of drink, where the principalities of hell are met together, to wither mothers' hearts, to turn widows out homeless to die, due to strong drink whose affects equal hell's utmost expectations, and devil's chuckle over their victims, dragging them down to a dreadful end. We have a powerful foe to contend with. Go where you like, you will find "King Alcohol " reigns supreme behind glittering counters, and gaudy mirrors, and yet, forsooth, we are termed extremists and fanatics in opposing such a traffic as this. Follow our railways. As towns spring up, as if by magic, there you will always find, the firat and the best building, is an hotel— wherever you go this " King Alcohol "is paramount. Drink destroys the body. Go into any of our cities or towns, and you will see men with emaciated bodies, sunken and bleary eyes, and bloated faces— all the result of drink. See the havod it causes in the human body and in the mind. We are asked : Will drink produce insanity. Look at that miserable object — tattered, emaciated, with downcast look, hat battered and cmshed in, stealing home at night, and selling hw furniture to buj drink. The lecturer then instanced several cases of a ludicrous but pathetic nature, which bore out his contention that insanity was the direct outcome of drink. The reyerend gentlemen said he knew some really good and kind men amongst ths publicans. He was not opposing them so much individually aa their calling aad trade. Selling liquor is a disreputable trade. No other tradesmen but the publican blushes to own his handiwork wheu you point gut to him the drunkard in the street. The publican who can do so, takes his wife arid family away from the hotel to live elsewhere, because he is ashamed foi them to see the sights which take place there. Where a public house is, property in the immediate vicinity at once falls in value. It is an lohumad traffic. You say, " If he does not do it, someone else will," but this is no argument at all. It is argued, that the trade has the protection of the law, but that does not say it is a right traffic. Is it right? Is it human ? No; If liquor produces the effects mentioned, what shall we do with it ? Prohibit its sale, this is the only logical conclusion to come to. The publican says, I do not fear these teetotallers our customers are bound to return to us again, they cannot keep away. We say we will not be satisfied by rescuing au odd one or two here and there, but will go for the total suppression of the liquor traffic. So long as these houses are at every etreefc corner the temptation is there, and we roust and will sweep them . entirely away. We have vast vested interests to Oppose, and the battle must.be fought out to the bitter end. We have mauy lukewarm, half-hearted supporters amongst us ; so long as high f aluting sentiment will suffice they are true to the cause, but directly their pockets are touched, they are not sincere, and they stand out in their true colours. The lecturer then gave instances known to himself, to prove this assertion. Whoever heard twenty years ago, of a publican fearing the teetotal element, but now what do we ace? They have their Association with a paid aod organizing Secretary to travel the country, which shows they aopreciate the seriousness and earn estness of our efforts. They say, you have no right to interfere with our rights, our liberties to act, and think for our. selves and our privileges. When we in< terfere with that which is injurious, we Bay that we are acting stnctly within our rights also. Our ideas have been termed down right robbery and confiscation We say the licence is granted for the publican to supply public accommodation under specified conditions laid down bj the Act, and the license for the sale of liquor is only granted for one year, and is merely supplementary. For whom are the licences issued f Are they for that mean, miserable, wretched crea* ture who stalks yonder? If not, then they are for the respectable individual, and on him the onus rests. If a father or mother with a family here to-night, takes this drink and allows their young ones to do so, the time may come when the ghost of their child will rise up, and •ay that jou are its murderer, therefore we urge you to cease from it, and shun setting them a bad example, ere this recoil on your heads. Note it, that those who hare done tbeir duties to their fellows, bare done their duty to God. The lecturer was heartily applauded by the large audience at the close of his eloquent address. Paring the evening. Mr Shearer's choir sang sereral selections in a tasteful and pleasing manner, Vote 9 of thanks to the Lecturer and to the Chairman for presiding, brought this very satisfactory meeting to a close.