CANTERBURY TEMPERANCE ALLIANCE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1633, 15 May 1879, Page 3

CANTERBURY TEMPERANCE ALLIANCE.

A public meeting was held last evening, in the Colombo road schoolroom, for the purpose of protesting against the granting of any new licenses within the Borough of Sydenham. The meeting was convened by posters, and was under the auspices ot the Canterbury Temperanco League. His Worship the Mayor of Sydenham occupied the chair. On the table was laid a petition addressed to the Licensing Court of the District of Christchurch, requesting that a publican's license might not bo issued in respect of a house situated on Colombo road south, applied for by John Somers. There was a very large attendance of the residents in the Borough. The Chairman commenced the proceedings by calling on the Rev. Mr Smallcy to engage in prayer.

The Chairman said before entering on tho proceedings, an apology was due to the meeting for unpunctuality in not commoncing at the hour stated in the posters. Ho congratulated those present in the interest manifested in the question, evinced by the fact of the largo number present. Ha wished it to be understood that he occupied the chair, not as the Mayor of Sydenham, but as a ratepayer and citizen interested in a question of vital importance. While he would have beon happy to have presided over a meeting for the discussion of a question of a political character, he held that what they had met for was far beyond any political question. It was to take example from the Homo country and the other colonies to advocate, amongst other methods, the teaching of the science of Temperance reform in the public schools, and to protest, as was their right, against the granting of new licenses within tho borough. The Eev. J. S. Macfarlane would move the first resolution.

The Eov. J. S. Macfarlane commenced by the assertion of the right of every citizen to express his op'nion on any public question, and said they were within legal limits to discuss the question before them, and not exceeding their legal rights by proposing the resolutions before them. Whatever protest they might make to the Licensing Bench would not go for very much unless backed up by petitionss signed by bona fide residents in the locality. The petition might be against the interest of the would-be publican, and he was not ashamed to confess it. He wished success to all trade for supplying the necessaries of life, but he could not wish success to the publican. The latter trade was a curse to the community, and he appealed to the logic of facts for its proof. The colony had not got to tho same pass that they had in the old country, where, to induce people to drink, casinos and music halls were all the rage, but the thin end of tho wedge had been introduced into New Zealand. The issues of the case wero that if the majority in a district desired these places, the minority would have to grin and bear it. The public of Sydenham did not want these places. Who planted these places in our midst ? [A voice : Tie undertakers.] (Laughter.) The tru flic was the prolific cause of madness, idiocy, crime, and poverty. Judges on the Bench, and chaplains in gaols, said that the greater part of crime sprang from the liquor traffic. The appeal ad muericordiam against injuring the one man should be set against the fact that it was for the benefit of the majority. It was not only for the interest of the public, but also for that of the seller of liquor that he spoke, and as a Christian minister he should not be doing his duty if he did not protest with all his might against the traffic in liquor. He concluded by moving the first resolution:—"That this meeting protests against the granting of any new license in the borough of Sydenham aa entirely unnecessary, and respectfully requests the Licensing Commissioners to consider this protest." The Rev. H. B. Cocks, in seconding the resolution, Baid he most cordially sympathised in it. As a minister of religion he was strongly in favor of breaking down the monopoly that was ruining thousands in the old country and in the colony. The last speaker struck the right nail on the head when he advocated the principle of local self-govern-ment. It was within the province of the Road Boards and the school committees to do a great deal of good in suppressing the drinking customs, and he thought that everyone should have a voice in checking the old world habit of drinking. As a rule, his experience was that the younger generation did not care for drinking, but it was rather the weakness of those who had contracted the habit in England. From climatic differences, those who could drink with impunity in the old country could not do so in the colony, On the question of the revenue, what was lost by the diminution of tho revenue arising from distillers, brewers, and publicans would be gained by the extra intelligence which would be gained by tho suppression of the liquor traffic. The intelligence of the people was sufficient to warrant the power of suppressing the public houses being placed in the hands of the people. Even if it was a necessity to drink with some people, still it was not a plea for the existence of the public houses. There were few who drank moderately who were too poor to have a small supply in their own houses. Ho could not go to the full length the Templars did, but he could furnish Scripture texts in favor of abstinence, and it was not impossible that be might one day join their ranks. [Cheers.] In speaking on the subject, the speaker said it was not because Sydenham was either a temperate or an intemperate place that he seconded the resolution. From his experience he thought it was eminently a sober temperate community, and he wished it to remain so. He had much pleasure in seconding the resolution. Mr L. Lawrence, as a ratepayer, in a few words moved the following amendment—- " That this meeting pledge itself to support the application for granting one or two substantial hotels in Sydenham." Mr Lockwood, in seconding the amendment, protested against the attempted coercion of those who wished to indulge moderately in liquor. He challenged anyone to say that anyono ever had seen him drunk, and he considered that everything thut came from the Almighty was for their good. [Cheers.] Mr Lawrence, by permission of tho chair, briefly set forth his reasons for moving his amendment in a recommendation signed by 200 persons, Mr Packer suid the character of tho district had never changed to warrant tho granting of any more applications. Additional houses were not needed for travellers. The value puhlicuna placed on their houses was principally their bar trade ; they did not look to their hotel accommodation for profit. He waa not advocating absolute abstinence. If a nmn wanted a pint of beer he could get it at home. The multiplying of public-houses was putting temptation in the way of passers by who otherwise would not think of drinking. Drinking was ono of the curses of the st-tll mont, a>d he waa certainly surprised at hearing Mr Lockwood second the "• amendment.

The ttcv. 3. S. Macfarlano replied in a few words that it wa<) a public qurption, and he had not imported inln the quoetion the principle ot total abstinence. The cry of robbing a man of his betti" was an old one, but if a man wanted beer in moderation he could have a small cask in his own house.

The amendment was then put from the chair, and negatived by an overwhelming majority, and tho resolution was carried with one dissentient. Rev. C. Eraser moved the second resolu- , tion —" That this meeting prays the Govern- ' nient of Now Zealand to extend the term that must olapso between tho refusal of a license and a reapplication from throo months to twelvo mouths, as tho short interval involved great labor and inconvenienco to those who opposo tho granting of new licenses." In moving the resolution, the Rev. 0. Fraser expressed his gratification at the task confided to him, but he was not a Good Templar, and it was not a Good Templar question. It, was part of tho plan of the Canterbury Tern* peranco League to encourage habits of toraperanco in tho country. He at tho same time did not wish to injure licensed victuallers as a body, but ho would bo glad to see them engage in some other occupation. Ho protested he had no desire to injure their interests, but he would be glad to see houses established for tho convenience of the public without being joined to the traffic in drink. Ho spoko as much in their own interests as of any other class. He deprecated at the same time the placing temptation in tho way of anyono who might not bo able to resist it, but he thought that tho people were perfectly competent to decide whether houses should bo multiplied against them. It was the statistics of tho trafHo that required ventilating, and then tho voice of public might safely be taken in settling the question. Mr Fraser then cited figures in support of his argument that tho public were pfcrfectly entitled to protest againgst anything that might checkdietress and promot e tho happiness and comfort of the people by tho practico of abatinenco. Referring to tho terms of the resolution, he considered that on every ground when an application was refusod, that such refusal should hold good for twelvo months, ard not give occasion for the necessity of a three monthly combination for the purposes of agitation for and against the application, which would otherwise be the inevitable result.

Mr Packer seconded tho resolution, and alluded to the practice of Sunday drinkiug, which was decidedly opposed to the law. Tho Chairman, in putting tho resolution, asked if any one present had any remarks to make.

Mr Lawrence (pathetically)—" No, it's of no use. [Laughter a'" d cheers.] Tho Chairman then put the resolution, which was carried nan. con.

The Rev. Mr Smalley moved, and the Rev. H. B. Cocks seconded a vote of thanks to the chairman for his impartial conduct in the chair.

Before the motion was put, the Rev. Mr Macfarlane said that the meeting had involved a little expense, which the League, not being a wealthy body, were not in a position to meet, and any subscriptions towards liquidating these expenses might bo left on the table, and would be thankfully received. The Chairman, in returning thanks, complimented the mooting for the orderly, temperate, and impartial manner with which the proceedings had been carried on. Mr Webber proposed a vote of thanks to the members of the Temperanco League, which was seconded by Mr Clephane, and carried unanimously. Before leaving, the Chairman drew attention to the fact that there was a petition lying on the table against the granting of a new license, for which an application had been made to the Licensing Commissioners. A number of signatures were attached to it, and after thanks had been returned by tho Rev. C. Fraser on behalf of the members of the League who were present, the proceedings terminated.