THE NO-LICENSE CLOCK

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 414, 15 November 1911, Page 7

THE NO-LICENSE CLOCK

(Published by Arrangement.)

AND ITS BELTS OF BENEFIT AND BUSINESS. By "Crusader." Its body is the whole of this.fair country, set between the glistening seas. Its wheels are the co-operative efforts of all educated workers and citizens [towards emancipation from a destructive traffic. Its mainspring, is the enlightened will of the people rising against a dark monopoly. Its regulating hair spring is the glowing Christian conscience in the land, protesting in the interests of man hood and little children. Its golden sunlit face, studded with many radiant gems, is the no-license areas standing out in glorious distinction in different parts of this Dominion. Its hands are the wonderful victory of a three-fifths majority cast in the interests of life, law and liberty. The No-license clock stands ticking out in impressive tones, "Vote it out! Vote it out!" With every sweep of its mighty pendulum of a great and growing popularity, the clock brings nearer and nearer the day of doom for the traitorous and devastating liquor traffic. Its striking power, is generated in the ballot box. Steadily the increasing hours of a bright day are rung out. Its bells are the happy testimony from no-license areas, telling of lives made beautiful again, of society flourishing under the reign of sobriety and radiant in the quickening impulses of beneficent moralities. Of commerce rising upon the increasing tides of success add stability, of a people coming into -all the sweetest tones of a life made sane and strong. From many electorates in this land the no - license bells ring out. Their merry peals are even sweeter to us than were the notes of "Independence Bell" to the aggrieved citizens of the U.S.A. Our bells proclaim liberty from the tyranny of a heartless and hideous monopoly. The hands of the No-license clock roll over the face of this country and the "dry" areas peal out their happy strains bearing testimony to the blessedness free from the liquor traffic. The people provide the bells! Beautiful bells! Each silver note is the happy shout of the free. Soon shall your melodies combine in the greater liberty peal of national Prohibition. The faroff nations shall then catch the reverberation of our surprising chimes, as an emancipated people, "ring out the evil from the land, ring in the Christ that is to be."

Slowly the hands of the clock have moved, but tiny have moved very surely. They turn with the marching spirit of the age* towards the full day of reigning right. In fact, the Nolicense clock is kept running by the same invincible hand that seta the stars in their courses. The hands move steadily forward, they cannot go back, they know not the way. Pointing straight on they climb higher and higher towards the oncoming day of light and love and larger life! During seventeen years, the clock has pealed out steadily its note, telling the oppressed, the mourner and the desolate, that darkness is passing, the day is at hand. Last election the clock struck twelve dry electorates. The dawn is heralded in. This election thousands upon thousands are going to the ballot box to help strike the hour One, of the greater and grander day of National Prohibition. Ring the bell, 0, ye Watchmen! Ring, ring, ring! Let us travel the round of this clock. Imagine yoursevles sitting at the end of the hour hand as it covers the face of this country. Every hour represents an electorate. The chime announcing the hour is what the people of such electorates themselves say about No-license ! Hark !! "The clock strikes one at Clutha!" Seventeen years ago this electorate carried No-license. Every year the vote in favour of the reform has steadily increased! The people are absolutely satisfied. Who shall gainsay their honest verdict? Even the oppressing trade is forced to admit the impressiveness of the testimony. They never attack Clutha now, she ia left severely alone. Seventeen years of success"in Clutha. What better argument could there be for No-license vots? Won't you heed this golden bell? The hands move on. "The clock strikes two. at Ashburr.on."

Haa any town in New Zealand lived more in the eye of the public than Aahburton? Has any town been more debated? Has any town been more grossly maligned and assaulted? Have citizens anywhere else endured more slander? Yet in spite of the libels manufactured by the Liquor Trade, Ashburton'a bell has never been silenced. It is admitted to-day to be one of the cleanest and most progressive towns in the Dominion in proportion tu its size. No-license has in no way injured the town. Industry and commerce not only survive but are stimulated. For five months ending August 29th, 1910 buildings to the value of £91,980 and on the outskirts £125,386. In spite of the desperate efforts of the brewers to create a scandal, little sly grog is sold —what is stands to condemn the traffic. In 1902 (license) 42 prohibition orders were issued, in 1909 (no-license) 2; convictions for drunkenness in 1902 (license) were 117, in 1910 (no-license) were 61. but 35 of these were arrested alighting from trains. The Mayor states that the small sum of £3 would cover the whole loss during the past seven years on uncollected rates. The moral state of the town has improved and business men make a convincing testimony for No-license. Ring on, ye bells! "The clock strikes three at Mataura." A neighbour of Clutha, Mataura, was so convinced as to the great benefits of No-license and in 1902 went "dry," also. During the last five years property has gone up in value from 20 to 25 per cent. Business is in a perfectly sound condition and buildings are going up on every hand at Gore, There is no un-

employment in Gore. A gentleman's club, run on temperance lines has a membership of between 80 and 90 ; ; £30,000 lias been expended on electric light, water and sewerage schemes. The accommodation and catering of hotels is excellent—no rooms have been lately added to the Souchland Hotel. The proprietress, Mrs Landels, says the she employs more hands and pays better wages than ever was clone under license. The proprietress of the largest hotel in Gore is the president of the W.C.T.U., and the local temperance conference was recently held in the one-time liquor bar! The irony of the situation is delightful!

A Gore brewer gave utterance recently to these words: "People do not go away from Gore as was anticipated when No-license was carried: on the other hand people are flocking into the district. I must admit that Nolicense has done good to hundreds who used to frequent the hotels under License. Certainly, I must admit candidly that ,1 do not believe for one moment tnat there is as much liquor coming into the district now as did come prior to No-license being carried." How the bells speak out! Voters, they plainly say to all, in the interests of all "STRIKE BOTH TOP LINES OUT," and so next December Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring out the fake, ring in the true, (To be continued.)